Mumbai’s TNMC & Nair Charitable Hospital Initiates Construction of Ten-Storey Building to Enhance Cancer Treatment Facilities

Mumbai, 7th December 2023: Amidst the escalating number of cancer patients nationwide, there is a pressing need to expand treatment facilities, particularly in Mumbai. The Tata Cancer Hospital in Mumbai, catering to a large influx of patients from across the country, has prompted calls from eminent oncologists for increased cancer treatment infrastructure. Responding to this demand, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Topiwala National Medical College and Nair Charitable Trust have commenced the construction of a dedicated ten-storey building for cancer patients, with plans for full operational capacity by 2026.

The Radio Oncology Department at Nair Hospital has been treating cancer patients since 1998, with the addition of the Medical Oncology Department in 2007. Over the years, the hospital has provided daycare facilities for chemotherapy treatment, treating approximately 7,700 individuals and over 700 children in the last three years alone. In the surgery department, various cancer surgeries, including those for the breast, stomach, intestine, pancreas, uterus, throat, and head, have been performed, totalling 644 cancer surgeries in 2022.

The BMC administration, recognizing the increasing number of cancer patients seeking treatment at Nair Hospital, has initiated the construction of a new ten-storey building. Estimated to cost Rs 106 crore, the facility will boast a total of 70 beds, including 50 for radiotherapy patients and 20 for chemotherapy patients. The building will house state-of-the-art equipment, including two linear accelerator machines, telecobalt therapy, teletherapy, brachytherapy, well-equipped operation theatres, and a PET Scan.

Facility Allocation in the Ten-Storey Building:
– The first floor will host a pediatric section and testing facilities.
– The second floor will accommodate a pet scan.
– Separate sections for women and men will be located on the sixth and seventh floors, respectively.
– The eighth and ninth floors will feature a library and seminar hall.

Dr. Sudhir Medhekar, founder of Nair Hospital, has stated that the hospital aims to be fully operational by 2026. The sources reveal plans to introduce stem cell therapy and CAR-T therapy at Nair Hospital, along with intentions to start postgraduate education in medical and pediatric oncology. The hospital currently treats around 5,500 patients with radiotherapy annually and provides pharmacogenomics facilities through the clinical pharmacology department. Additionally, new facilities for various cancer treatments are expected to be incorporated in the future.

The treatment will be overseen by a team of experienced professionals, including Dr Girish Rajadhyaksha, Dr Satish Dharap, Dr Snigdha Robin, Dr Alka Gupta, Dr Himanshi Shah, Dr Mukund Adankar, Dr Adil Chhagala, and Dr Uday Bhat.