Bommai inaugurates OPD block at Infosys-built oncology institute

Bengaluru, Aug 23 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Basavara Bommai on Monday inaugurated a 75,000 square feet state of the art, multi-disciplinary Outpatient Department (OPD) block at the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, built by the Infosys Foundation.

The Infosys Foundation has spent Rs 25.5 crore on this new OPD block, which will cover over 12 departments, and aim to accommodate nearly 1,800 patients every day.

This new OPD was inaugurated by Bommai and Health Minister Dr K. Sudhakar in the virtual presence of Infosys Foundation Chairperson Sudha Murthy.

Bommai said that the government is mulling to set up a society to provide medicines for cancer patients at concessional rates. He said that CSR and government funds will be utilised to provide facilities to the family members attending to the patient.

Action would be taken to establish Regional Cancer centers and a new center will soon be established in Hubballi and Dharwad, he added.

In her remarks, Sudha Murthy said: "Lack of proper treatment and medical infrastructure often manifests in unfortunate circumstances for patients and their family. This is a small effort by the Foundation to ensure that people have access to clean, hygienic, and timely medical intervention, especially at a time when we are engulfed by a pandemic. We are thankful to the state government, our Chief Minister, Health Minister, and Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, for their collaboration and support in this initiative."

Infosys Foundation has been working closely with the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology on several projects since 2001. The new OPD, a dharamshala renovation, five fully equipped operation theatres and an ICU completed earlier, add to Foundation's efforts to expand hospital and quarantine facilities and ensure proper medical treatment for the public.

Over the last one and a half years, Infosys committed a total of Rs 200 crore for Covid relief efforts across India, through the Infosys Foundation, and also helped set up a 150-bed Covid care hospital in Bengaluru in partnership with the state government.