Mumbai’s second cancer care hospital to come up at Borivli

After Tata Memorial Hospital in Parel (TMH), the city will soon have its second facility, dedicated completely to cancer care.

A 120-bedded, privately-run cancer hospital is expected to start in Borivali, by mid-March.

Doctors said that the new facility will give an alternative to many suburban patients who can afford treatment at private hospitals, but end up travelling to TMH owing to lack of options.

“TMH is already overburdened with patients. A new cancer centre in the suburbs means that people will now have another option,” said a doctor from TMH. “However, the new hospital must keep the services affordable to ensure that more people have access to it,” added the doctor.

Dinesh Madhavan, director, health care services, HCG Hospitals, which is starting the facility, said that hospital will have specialised units such as nuclear medicines, medical and surgical oncology and paediatric bone-marrow transplant unit. “A total of 40 full-time and part time cancer specialists will work at the hospital and an additional staff of 300 people,” he said.

Dr. Mausami Kotecha, 42, a Kandivali resident, whose husband was treated for pancreatic cancer at THM this month, said that such a cancer care facility in the suburbs will help patients cut down on travel time.“There were days when I left home at 7:00 am to go to TMH, and returned home only at 9:00 pm. It was extremely tiring. A good cancer care facility around this area would make it easy,” she added.