Tata Trusts has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Government of Odisha in India to set up a new Cancer Treatment & Research Hospital in Bhubaneswar.

The new hospital, which will be managed by Tata Trusts, will be similar to the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai.

The Odisha government has agreed to provide 25 acres of land free of cost for establishing the hospital.

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik told media sources: “The state government has been taking pro-active measures towards improving cancer care in the state including infrastructure upgradation of district hospitals, both in terms of trained doctors and staff to provide free chemotherapy in all the 30 districts of the state.”

Patnaik further added that the comprehensive cancer care programme in partnership with Tata Trusts will create the much-needed synergy.

As per the MoU, the care programme will be established through a three-tier network of facilities with the Tata Trusts’ proposed Centre at Bhubaneswar and Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre in Cuttack.

The medical colleges in the state and the district hospitals will be fitted with modern equipment to provide diagnostics and standardised day care chemotherapy.

Nearly INR8bn ($119.18m) has been earmarked for the completion of cancer care projects over the next five years.

The Odisha government will provide INR5bn ($74.5m) while Tata Trusts will contribute INR3bn ($44.7m).