Three Years On, Kidwai Cancer Hospital In Belagavi Still Stuck On Paper

Nearly three years have passed since the much-anticipated announcement of a new unit of Kidwai Cancer Hospital—formally known as the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology—in Belagavi. Despite an allocation of ₹50 crore in the 2022-23 state budget and administrative approval, the project has made no tangible progress and remains a paper dream. Initially, the state government had earmarked four acres near the Primary Health Centre in Vadagaon for the hospital. The Health Department Commissioner even visited Belagavi in 2022 to affirm the plan. However, just a few months later, in September, the project’s location was shifted to the premises of the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS), reportedly at the request of the hospital authorities. This change sparked discontent among local citizens and social activists, who argued that the Vadagaon site was more suitable—spacious, independent, and more accessible for cancer patients. Critics fear that integrating the new hospital within the already-burdened BIMS campus could compromise the quality and focus of cancer care services. Belagavi South MLA Abhay Patil, who was instrumental in bringing the project to the region, had pushed for its establishment within his constituency. Though he succeeded in getting both budgetary allocation and administrative approval, the lack of political follow-through and bureaucratic inertia have kept the project from getting off the ground—literally. Not even the foundation stone has been laid. For cancer patients across Belagavi, Gokak, Chikodi, Khanapur, Nipani, and surrounding border areas, this delay is more than just a missed development opportunity—it’s a matter of life and death. Many are still forced to travel long distances to Bengaluru, Hubballi, or expensive private hospitals for treatment. The cost, travel, and delays often worsen their condition, sometimes fatally. A fully functional Kidwai Cancer Hospital in Belagavi could serve not only North Karnataka but also patients from Goa and neighboring Maharashtra. The demand for such a facility has been strong and persistent, and yet, three years later, the hospital remains just an unfulfilled promise. http://all.allaboutbelgaum.com/news/kidwai-cancer-hospital-will-now-come-up-on-belagavi-civil-hospital-premises/