(Madan Mohan Joshi)

"To walk through the wards of a cancer hospital is to look at life and death in the face". One of the most popular film Producer & Director of India, Mahesh Bhatt, made this touching observation after taking an extensive round of our hospital - Jawaharlal Nehru Cancer Hospital in Bhopal. "It is an humbling experience", He wrote in the visitor's book, moved by the sight of the stricken patients.

And what candid comment it is, Cancer has long been dreaded as a "death warrant". A visit to a hospital specializing in its treatment and research is virtually a sojourn through the corridors of life and death as it were. Its shadows always has chastening effect on the frayed human mind and nerves. To bring succor to those afflicted with the dreaded disease is divine service.

Modern medical science, though still struggling to find a permanent cure, has opened new vistas of treatment and it has now been established that early detection can and does ensure a very high degree of cure.

Located in the beautiful surroundings of Bhopal's picturesque Idgah hills in the breezy, salubrious climate on the edge of the Malwa Plateau, the Jawaharlal Nehru Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Bhopal has proved to be a boon for fulfilling precisely that mission in Madhya Pradesh in particular and central India in general.

Paradoxical as it may seem the genesis of this cancer institute lies in the world's worst industrial disaster the Bhopal gas tragedy which left a trail of death and devastation – quite a few thousand dead and tens of thousands maimed, disabled and emaciated for life – following the leakage of huge quantities of Methylisocynite (MIC) gas from the Union Carbide's Pesticide plant on a cold wintry morning on December 3, 1984. The cataclysmic tragedy shook the frail humanity of Madhya Pradesh capital to its marrow. Medical experts were almost unanimous in their views that the long term effects of this toxic gas would push up the graph of cancer incidence considerably. These warnings obviously added a sense of urgency to the long left need of a comprehensive cancer hospital in Bhopal, one of the fastest developing towns in India.

Nothing is more challenging in medical field than establishing a   comprehensive cancer hospital, as it requires massive investment. Even a modest cancer hospital requires funds many times more than other hospitals. Few therefore take up this extra ordinary challenge.  

However journalistic reputation, goodwill and contacts enabled me to mobilize necessary funds for establishing Jawaharlal Nehru Cancer Hospital & Research Centre, Bhopal. Symbolic social work particularly in medical field hardly means anything nor make any difference except a bit of self-satisfaction. Earlier we had thought of a cancer diagnostic centre and leave rest of things for bigger towns to handle. But realistic approach and serious commitment to humanitarian service prevailed upon us and we decided to go in for a major cancer hospital in Bhopal.

It has been felt all along these years that Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai alone cannot cope with the rapidly increasing demand of cancer treatment. Therefore at least one comprehensive and well organized cancer centre in each state capital is essential. We were indeed lucky to generate tremendous support of the society and government for achieving this objective in this beautiful lake city in a time bound manner. These efforts provided much needed relief to the people when the hospital was inaugurated on 11th January, 1995 with nearly hundred beds. The upgradation which is an ongoing process continues with unabated zeal. 

Running of a cancer hospital is still more challenging than establishing one. Not only because the expenditure overshoots the income but also because experts of various disciplines are not available in required strength. We are very fortunate in this respect. We have a very able, experienced and motivated group of experts and doctors in adequate numbers belonging to all disciplines and modalities of diagnosis, treatment, research and higher studies.

We are fully sensitive towards providing free treatment fully/ partially to poor patients but the demand and the cost involved is so huge that it has to be shared by the state government and various charitable institutions and individuals social obligation and proper running of the institute go hand in hand and that there should be proper balance between them. The quantum therefore depends largely upon the support that the institute is able to get from outside sources.

Hence I hereby appeal to the State Govt., Govt. of India, various public and private undertakings, charitable and social organizations, NRIs and socially conscious people to come forward to help generating sufficient funds for this purpose as well as for the unabated upgradation of the facilities. I hope it will be forthcoming in full measure for this highly humanitarian cause.