Pune: Plot near Sassoon for new cancer hospital, Mushrif confirms acquisition

New cancer hospital to be built near Sassoon General Hospital soon: Minister Hasan Mushrif confirms land acquisition

Pune: A new cancer hospital is coming up near Sassoon General Hospital. The land required for its construction has already been handed over to the ministry, Hasan Mushrif, the medical education minister, announced in the assembly on Thursday.

“We have received a plot of land belonging to Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Limited (MSRDC). We have planned to build a cancer hospital there,” Mushrif said.

The announcement comes amid criticism from opposition MPs in Pune. The opposition has raised concerns about shortage of medicines, repeated illegal incidents and inadequate patient care at Sassoon Hospital.

In response, Mushrif assured that a detailed discussion on these issues would be held on Tuesday. He confirmed plans to visit the hospital along with other MLAs.

He also emphasised his commitment to immediately addressing any drug shortage, stating, “If anyone has any drug shortage, they can call me and the dean will be suspended immediately. I also welcome MPs from Pune to accompany me to visit the hospital where I can show them how well it is run.”

The proposal to set up a dedicated cancer centre in Pune has been pending since 2016. At that time, Dr Ajay Chandanwale, the then dean of Sassoon, announced the acquisition of a plot for the purpose. Dr Yallapa Jadhav, the chief medical officer, confirmed that the MSRDC plot is located near the hospital near Vishnu Sadashiv quarters and is spread over an area of ​​around 2.19 acres. He recalled that he had viewed the plot with Chandanwale during his tenure as dean.

In 2016, Chandanwale also mentioned that the cancer hospital would have 300 beds. The proposed budget for its development was Rs 300 crore.

This new venture holds out the promise of improving cancer treatment facilities in Pune and improving healthcare infrastructure in the region.