Mumbai: In a move to strengthen cancer treatment, the Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday approved a comprehensive cancer care policy. Under this initiative, the government will set up the Maharashtra Cancer Care, Research and Education (MAHACARE) Foundation to oversee and coordinate cancer treatment across 18 hospitals.
According to the PTI report, hospitals will be categorised into L1, L2, and L3 centres. While the Tata Memorial Hospital has been designated as the “L1 apex centre”, eight hospitals have been identified as L2 centres and nine as L3 centres, covering key cities of Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik and Amravati, the release said.
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These centres will provide radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery, palliative care, postgraduate and super-specialty training, conduct research, and carry out public awareness initiatives.
The MAHACARE Foundation will receive an initial corpus of Rs 100 crore. It will also receive 20 percent of fees collected under the Mahatma Phule Public Health Scheme, and can raise additional funds through clinical trials, donations, grants, and CSR initiatives.
Funding for L2 and L3 centres will be provided based on staffing, infrastructure, and guidance needs, with Rs 1,529.38 crore allocated for L2 centres and Rs 147.70 crore for L3 centres.
The MAHCARE Foundation will be headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, with Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar will be vice chairmen. Its board will include ministers, senior bureaucrats, experts and private sector representatives, while an expert CEO will oversee daily operations.
Cancer incidence in Maharashtra has risen by 11 per cent since 2020, according to the 2025 ICMR-NCDIR report, the release highlighted.
The new policy also aligns with the Centre’s directive to set up day-care cancer centres in all district hospitals over the next three years, it said.
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