TATA Memorial Hospital in Mumbai donates urgently required cancer medicines to Sri Lanka

TATA Memorial Hospital Director Prof. Dr. C.S. Pramesh officially handing over the medicines to Consul General Dr. Valsan Vethody

TATA Memorial Hospital (TMH) in Mumbai donated urgently required cancer medicines worth of Rs. 20 million to Sri Lanka on 15 July. The donation contains temperature controlled cancer treatment medicines required by Apeksha Cancer Hospital in Maharagama to treat cancer patients awaiting urgent lifesaving medicines. 

Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Mumbai coordinated with the donor and the relevant Sri Lankan and Indian authorities to facilitate the necessary approvals and clearances to airlift the medical consignment to Sri Lanka on 16 July. 

The handing over ceremony was attended by the following officials from TATA Memorial Hospital who organised the donation.

•TMH Director Dr. C.S. Pramesh

•TMH Professor and Head of Division of Paediatric Oncology Prof. Dr. Girish Chinnaswamy 

•TMH Assistant Medical Superintendent Dr. Vinit Samant

•TMH Assistant Professor, Medical Oncology Dr. Venkata Rama Mohan Gollamudi

•TMH General Manager (CSR) Sunita Rao, TMH Pharmacist Vonod Nair 

Consul General of Sri Lanka in Mumbai Dr. Valsan Vethody and Consul (Commercial) Sandun Sameera attended the handing over ceremony to accept the donation. While appreciating the invaluable donation made by the TMH at this hour of need for Sri Lanka, Consul General requested further collaboration between TATA Memorial Centre and cancer treatment institutes in Sri Lanka to exchange cancer treatment know-how and expertise to uplift the cancer treatments. 

Tata Memorial Hospital is amongst the oldest and largest cancer centres in the world, with over 75 years of exceptional patient care, high-quality training and innovative cancer research and is at the forefront of national and global cancer control efforts. It is the national comprehensive cancer centre for the prevention, treatment and research on cancer in India. The hospital was established in 1941 by Sir Dorab Tata when Lady Meherbai Tata died of leukaemia, after treatments abroad. The Department of Atomic Energy of India is responsible for managing this institution since 1962. 

Tata Memorial Centre is a world leader in basic, translational, epidemiologic and clinical cancer research. Research at TMC includes studies to understand cancer biology, large community based screening trials for common cancers and cohort studies, neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment, perioperative interventions, surgical trials, repurposing drugs and qualitative research to understand the patient journey. It focuses on impacting survival and quality of life i.e., living longer, or living better – end points that really matter to patients. 

In addition, training and education also form a major focus area for TMC which remains the most sought after institution for oncology training in India. Combining a world-class academic faculty and being amongst the highest volume cancer centres in the world, TMH’s alumni provides specialist oncology care and hold leadership positions in several cancer centres in India and internationally.