Page 75 - Essentia Vol 5 Issue 1

VOL V | ISSUE I | 5 AUGUST 2026 VOL V | ISSUE I | 5 AUGUST 2026
A BIANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF ASSAM CANCER CARE FOUNDATION A BIANNUAL NEWSLETTER OF ASSAM CANCER CARE FOUNDATION

ancer care in India and Assam has moved From Clinics to
from centralised, institution-led services
Cto a more decentralised system that brings Communities
care closer to patients. Over time, oncology has
grown from early radiology clinics into a network The Transformation
supported by diagnosis, treatment and community
outreach. of Cancer Care
in India and Assam
History of cancer care in india

Nabarun Dey
Head - Procurement
Assam Cancer Care Foundation

Cancer care in assam
Compared with many southern and western
states, formal oncology infrastructure in North-
east India developed later. This created a serious
access gap in a region with a high cancer burden
and strong tobacco-linked risk profile. For years,
patients from the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys
had to travel to cities such as Kolkata or Mumbai for
specialised care. In Barak Valley, geographic isolation made access
even harder. The establishment of Cachar Cancer
Building regional institutions Hospital and Research Centre in Silchar helped
A major turning point came with Dr B. Borooah bridge this gap through subsidised treatment, rural
Cancer Institute (BBCI) in Guwahati, inaugurated outreach and palliative care.
in 1973 and named after Dr Bhubaneswar Borooah.
What began as a civic and philanthropic effort The ACCF grid
became a key oncology institution for the North- Assam’s cancer care system has seen a major shift
east. through the partnership between the Government
of Assam and Tata Trusts, leading to the Assam
AssAm’s Three-LeveL Cancer Care Foundation. The objective has been
CAnCer CAre Grid clear: reduce long-distance travel and make

Comprehensive care for advanced diag- cancer care available closer to home.
L1 nostics, complex treatment and research
Care closer to home: From centralised care to
Semi-comprehensive care through community access
L2 regional medical college-linked centres The story of cancer care in Assam is one of
gradual but meaningful transformation. From a
District-level care bringing few overburdened institutions to a decentralised
L3 chemotherapy, radiation and diagnostics network, the focus is now shifting from patients
closer to patients travelling for care to care reaching patients.

74 Improving patient experience is not an extra. It is the work. 75