The second phase of a specialised cancer care training programme for BIMSTEC countries has begun at the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre of the Tata Memorial Centre in Visakhapatnam. Organised in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the four-week programme will train 35 cancer care specialists from BIMSTEC member nations, underscoring India’s expanding role in regional healthcare capacity building.
The programme was formally inaugurated on January 5 by C. S. R. Ram, Joint Secretary (BIMSTEC & SAARC), MEA. He said cancer experts from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal are participating, and highlighted the growing cancer burden in the region alongside unequal access to quality treatment. He stressed the need for skill development and institutional strengthening to address these gaps.
According to the MEA, the initiative was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 6th BIMSTEC Summit. The training covers core oncology domains including Onco-Pathology, Onco-Nursing, Palliative Medicine, Preventive Oncology and Radiation Oncology, featuring advanced hands-on workshops on modern diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. The programme aims to enhance cancer care capabilities across the Bay of Bengal region and strengthen cooperation under India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’, ‘Act East’ and ‘MAHASAGAR’ policies, further deepening health partnerships among BIMSTEC nations.