Guwahati, Feb. 16: The Assam government will sign two memoranda of understandings (MoUs) aimed at providing relief to disadvantaged patients and childless couples during the inauguration of the first state-owned cancer hospital here tomorrow.

One of the MoUs is for providing medicines at discounted prices in 27 district hospitals under the Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (Amrit) scheme and the other is for the first in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) facility at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

State health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made the announcements here on the eve of the inauguration of the cancer hospital by Union health minister J.P. Nadda. The minister will be on a two-day visit to Dhubri, Guwahati and Nagaon before leaving for Tripura on Saturday.

"Tomorrow is an important day for Assam's health sector. The Union minister will inaugurate the cancer hospital on the GMCH campus and launch the construction for Dhubri medical college. We will also sign two MoUs on Amrit pharmacies and the IVF facility at GMCH," Sarma said.

The B. Borooah Cancer Institute, operating since 1974 here, has three stakeholders - the North Eastern Council, Assam government and the department of atomic energy. There are hospitals in the private sector as well.

Sarma said the first phase of the 200-bed cancer facility in GMCH has been constructed from the state's own funds and will provide the best treatment by hiring the best talent and equipment.

"The administration of the cancer hospital will be autonomous so that it can get the best of experts from outside. We have already filled up all posts of doctors and patients will get cashless treatment up to Rs 2 lakh from April 1. They will get medicines at discounted prices under the Amrit scheme from the outset," Sarma said.

He said Nadda will launch the Amrit scheme in five other medical colleges through video-conferencing. It was launched in the GMCH last year but will become operational in other hospitals within six months.

"The other MoU will deal with setting up of an IVF facility at GMCH. Pratiksha Hospital, a private IVF player, will have a key role. We will avail both technical and medical expertise of the private sector to provide the best IVF facilities to childless couples who cannot go out for treatment because of the huge costs," Sarma said. On an average, Pratiksha Hospital here receives 300 cases every month.

The IVF facility, first set up in the public sector at AIIMS in 2008, requires a very specialised environment and expertise. "The setting up of an IVF centre in a government hospital is a very positive development," city-based gynaecologist Hemanga Baishya told The Telegraph this evening.