For the second consecutive year, this unique course was held at the Prestige Institute of Management and Research on 26th and 27th December 2012. The course aimed at giving inputs on the nuances of developing and managing cancer centers to doctors and hospital administrators.

This year there were 36 delegates attending the course thanks to the efforts of the course coordinators, two young doctors of the Foundation, Dr Hamsa Nandini and Dr Vikas Gupta.v

The faculty included experts from Srinagar, Cuttack, Mumbai, Chennai and Indore. Dr. Nagraj Huilgol, Chief, Department of Radiation Oncology, Balabhai Nanavati Hospital, Mumbai was also the course director.

The technical session commenced with an inaugural lecture by Mr. MR Sivaraman IAS, former Union Revenue Secretary, that addressed issues of ethics in the public health delivery system. This was followed by lectures covering the following topics:

• “Cancer burden in India and strategies for cancer control” by Dr. Rajesh Dikshit, Department of Epidemiology, TMH, Mumbai
• “A comprehensive cancer treatment facility” by Dr. Virendra J Vyas, Head of Department, Radiation oncology, MGIMS, Wardha
• “Economics of optimal imaging set up for a basic cancer centre” by Dr. Nagraj Huilgol, Chief, Department of Radiation Oncology, Balabhai Nanavati Hospital, Mumbai
• “Radiotherapy facility- from construction to treatment” by Dr. Vandana Jain, Chief Radiation Oncologist, IIHNO, Indore
• “Challenges in delivery of Palliative Care” by Dr. Sukdev Nayak, Head, Department of Palliative care, AHRCC, Cuttack.
• “Outreach activities and their importance”- a panel discussion moderated by Dr. VJ Vyas and panelists Dr. Sanaullah Kuchay, Head of department, Radiation Oncology, Srinagar Medical College, Dr. Baldev Dembani, Consultant General Surgeon, Indore and Dr. Sukdev Nayak.
• “Guidelines for a Rehabilitation Program” by Ms. Nishu Singh Goel, Research consultant, TMH, Mumbai.
• “Treatment for all– A low cost model” by CA Vikram Gupte, Chartered Accountant, Indore and Dr. Digpal Dharkar, Surgical Oncologist & Honorary Secretary, Indore Cancer Foundation.
• “Low cost detection” –panel discussion moderated by Dr. Pradeep Moghe, Consultant Radiologist, Indore;  panelists Dr. Shivram S, Consultant Radiologist, Indore and Dr. Satish Phatak, consultant Histopathologist, Indore.
• “Guide to buying appropriate technology and survive snake oil merchants” by Dr. Nagraj Huilgol.
• “Low cost chemotherapy” by Dr. Vandana Jain
• “How governments support cancer treatment and development of cancer centers” by Dr. Suresh Verma, Medical Superintendent & Head of Palliative Care, IIHNO
• “Insurance” by Dr. Tushar Phulambrikar, Head of Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Aurobindo Dental College, Indore
• “Cancer and the Internet” by Dr. Hamsa Nandini, Fellow, Head and Neck Oncology, IIHNO
• “Role of volunteers in a cancer center” by Dr. Lina Parasuram, Volunteer and Counselor

The program concluded successfully with all the delegates gaining an insight into the working of a cancer center with a visit to the Indian Institute of Head and Neck Oncology, Rau.