Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Sunday inaugurated a new cancer hospital in Patan in northern Gujarat, the Sheth Shri Popatlal Bhekhachand Patan Janata Cancer Hospital, according to an announcement by the Chief Minister's Office. The facility is run by the Jeevan Jyot Charitable Trust and was built with contributions from donors and trustees.

Source: Nation Press / Gujarat CMO

Praising the spirit of service of the donors and trustees whose contributions made the hospital possible, Patel said the citizens of Patan and surrounding areas will now receive excellent cancer treatment right at their doorstep.

For residents of Patan and the surrounding districts of northern Gujarat, the new facility means specialised oncology care is now available within the district; until now, many patients had to travel long distances to Ahmedabad or Surat for cancer treatment.

Prevention message alongside the new facility

At the inauguration, the Chief Minister voiced concern about changing lifestyles and the diseases they bring, invoked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a 'Nasha Mukt Bharat' (Drug-Free India) and holistic healthcare, and urged citizens to adopt a balanced lifestyle, practise daily yoga and improve their diet and daily habits as a preventive shield against illness.

The Patan hospital is the latest in a series of district-level oncology facilities commissioned across Gujarat to bring specialist cancer care closer to patients and reduce dependence on the state's major cities. Details of the services starting on day one and any linkage with government health schemes have not yet been officially announced.