With a focus on capacity building and skill enhancement, Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai on Monday launched a specialised cancer care training programme for BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) nations.
As part of the initiative, 21 participants from four member countries will undergo training across three key modules: Radiation Oncology, Nuclear Medicine, and Radiology, reported news agency PTI.
Speaking at the launch event, CSR Ram, Joint Secretary for BIMSTEC and SAARC at the Ministry of External Affairs, said the programme will not only strengthen cancer care capabilities in the region but also foster long-term collaboration and research among BIMSTEC countries.
This training initiative brings together 21 participants from BIMSTEC countries, comprising four from Bangladesh, six each from Bhutan and Myanmar as well as five from Nepal. Initially, a 4-week training will be imparted in three modules, including Radiation Oncology, Nuclear Medicine, and Radiology. However, it will expand going forward,” he said, reported news agency PTI.
“As of now we have got a proposal from TMC on 12 modules, of which three are being implemented in the first phase. After this, we will decide on how to take this initiative forward and which modules to include. The decision on whether this programme will be quarterly, every six months or annually is yet to be taken,” he added.
BIMSTEC comprises Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
“BIMSTEC, though founded more than 25 years ago, has taken the concrete steps of regional integration only in recent years. In the 2022 Summit in Colombo, we adopted the BIMSTEC Charter. Since then, we have taken a number of efforts and initiatives to strengthen the dialogue. India has been taking a number of initiatives, especially in the areas of institution and capacity building,” Ram said, reported PTI.
“We will be establishing world-class centres of excellence in various areas. To start with, we are establishing centres of excellence in disaster management cooperation, the cooperation in the areas of agricultural technologies and skills, in sustainable maritime connectivity, and also to strengthen our cooperation in the areas of traditional medicine and health. Our initiatives cover a whole spectrum of connectivity, which is at the core of any regional cooperation,” he added, reported PTI.
TMC Director Dr Sudeep Gupta, who was present on the occasion, said this training programme is an intensive four-week onsite one focused on critical domains of cancer care as a part of the health initiatives of BIMSTEC.
“Three specialised modules are being conducted concurrently in TMC`s Mumbai centres, offering advanced, hands-on exposure to cutting-edge diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. Subsequently, training programs for participants will also be scheduled at nine operational Tata Memorial Centre units spread across the country,” Gupta added.
(With PTI inputs)
