By SATimes Team
New York: World renowned, US based oncologist and Padma Shri awardee, Dr Dattatreyudu Nori has been appointed advisor to the Andhra Pradesh government with a senior cabinet minister level position. This followed his meeting with the state Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on September 28 to discuss public health, especially the development of comprehensive cancer care in the state so that patients from the state need not rush to metros like Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai.
Confirming the news flashed by the Indian media, he told The South Asian Times that his appointment as senior adviser becomes effective from October 1. But he is not relocating to Amaravati, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh. He will visit there now and then but mainly he will work through Zoom meetings with the state chief secretary, giving them guidance on medical issues.
Dr Nori said his focus will be on building comprehensive cancer centers to make cancer care accessible and affordable to everyone in the state that he hails from.
The prestigious appointment for Dr Nori, an NRI, came through because the Andhra government was aware that he is one of the founders of the not-for-profit 600-bed cancer hospital in Hyderabad. So he was invited to meet the chief minister to plan and upgrade the existing cancer facilities in the state.
In his meeting with CM Reddy, Dr Nori discussed creation of medical infrastructure and construction of new medical colleges, among other issues. He said the Chief Minister is committed to construct three cancer hospitals across the state, one of which would be state-of-the-art, and he is planning to bring cancer treatment in various medical colleges and district hospitals under the main hospital.
“I want to see people of the state have better access to health and medical care, especially for cancer. The government preparations are in tune with my ideas and I informed the Chief Minister that I am ready to extend any cooperation they need in all possible ways,” Dr Nori said. He also expressed happiness over various initiatives by the State government in the medical and health sector.
For over three decades Dr Nori has held the positions of Professor and Chairman of Radiation Oncology and Director of Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. He has pioneered many cancer treatment techniques that have contributed to significant improvement in the cancer cure rates all over the world.
In India, Dr Nori has extended his expertise and experience to state governments and private organizations to establish comprehensive cancer centers.
In 2015 he was awarded Padma Shri by the Indian government. The same year he was also bestowed the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
An ardent devotee of Sai Baba of Shirdi, Dr Nori, with his wife, Dr Subhadra Nori, has founded three Sai mandirs in New York and New Jersey. They live on Long Island.
