Kolkata

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J P Nadda on Friday visited the new campus of the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI) at Newtown near here, and reviewed the progress of the institute.

Nadda said that the CNCI, a pioneer in cancer treatment and research in eastern India, is providing affordable and high-quality patient care supported by world-class infrastructure.

The CNCI functions under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

During the visit, Nadda urged the institute to expand its role in medical education by increasing student intake in existing post-graduate courses and introducing specialised programmes.

The Union minister said that sustained efforts under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are aimed at bringing cancer care closer to people's homes and strengthening advanced healthcare facilities across the country.

According to the CNCI website, the Chittaranjan Cancer Hospital (CCH) was inaugurated in January 2, 1950. Later, the Chittaranjan National Cancer Research Centre, funded by the government of India, was set up in 1957.

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The two entities wre merged in 1987, and the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI) came up in 1987 with the objective of serving as a premier Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) for the Eastern Region of the Country. The second campus of the institute was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 7, 2022.