Amit Shah lays foundation for ‘Swasti Nivas’ in National Cancer Institute

NAGPUR: Union Home minister Amit Shah on Monday laid the foundation stone of ‘Swasti Nivas’, a residential complex for cancer patients and families, within the National Cancer Institute (NCI) campus in Nagpur, Maharashtra.

He also laid the foundation stone for the permanent campus of the National Forensic Science University (NFSU) and inaugurated its temporary campus virtually.

Speaking to the congregation, Shah declared that the National Cancer Institute is an emblem of service and compassion, constructed with the hope that no individual would have to endure silently because of disease.

He was hopeful that within a few years, the institute would rank as one of the best cancer treatment facilities in the nation.

Emphasising Swasti Nivas’s conceptual uniqueness, Shah stated that it is a reflection of the strong family ties and social fabric of Indian society.

“In Western nations, patients usually stay in hospitals by themselves, but in our society, the family is all involved. Swasti Nivas will enable families to stay near the care of their loved ones while receiving treatment, with emotional support at a minimal expense,” he added.

The National Cancer Institute, at the border of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana, is catering mainly to economically weaker sections.

The institute’s foundation stone was laid in February 2015, it was inaugurated in 2023, and the addition of Swasti Nivas is a notable step towards completion.

In paying homage to social reformers Aabaji Thatte, Guruji, and Balasaheb Deoras, Shah stated that they gave their lives to the cause of serving the nation, and the cancer institute perpetuates that tradition of selfless service.

He further emphasised India’s alarming health issues, noting that India has the highest rate of oral cancer in the world and loses one person every eight minutes to cervical cancer.

However, he added that over the last 15 years, cancer care facilities have improved a lot, and it has become more accessible for treatments.