Navi Mumbai: In a significant move to improve cancer care services for residents, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has inaugurated a Cancer Day Care Center at the Maasaheb Meenatai Thackeray Hospital in Nerul.

The center, which includes a 10-bed Day Care Chemotherapy Unit, aims to provide essential chemotherapy treatment to local cancer patients without the need to travel to private hospitals or Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai.

Until now, residents within NMMC’s jurisdiction were required to seek cancer-related treatments at private hospitals or the renowned Tata Memorial Hospital, often leading to logistical challenges, long waiting periods, and financial strain. To address this, NMMC Commissioner Dr. Kailas Shinde pushed for the establishment of this facility, which will offer chemotherapy services directly within Navi Mumbai.

The Day Care Chemotherapy Unit was set up in coordination with Tata ACTREC (Tata Memorial Center's Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research, and Education in Cancer), and today saw its first patient receive treatment, marking the center’s official commencement. Alongside NMMC’s medical team, experts from Tata ACTREC were present during the event.

Day Care Chemotherapy is a more efficient, patient-friendly method of treatment, which minimizes the need for extended hospital stays. This approach will allow patients to save time and resources while undergoing treatment in a comfortable setting. The Day Care Chemotherapy Unit will be operational from 8 a.m. every day, offering treatments under the supervision of physicians, staff nurses, and specialists.

"The center will primarily focus on treating patients with solid tumors. The first dose of chemotherapy will still be administered at Tata ACTREC, but for patients who are Hemodynamically stable and do not require intensive care, subsequent chemotherapy doses will be given at the Day Care Center in Nerul," NMMC Commissioner Dr Shinde said.

This new facility is expected to significantly ease the burden on cancer patients in Navi Mumbai, allowing them to access critical treatments locally rather than traveling to Mumbai. As a result, patients will no longer face the inconvenience of early morning appointments or long hours of waiting at Tata Memorial Hospital, making cancer care more accessible and less stressful for local residents.