Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology is named after Rafi Ahmed Kidwai, Who was a politician, an Indian independence activist and a socialist and the Governor of Bombay. Rafi Ahmed Kidwai played a major role in donating 20 acres of the campus land and Rs. 100,000 for the radiotherapy machine. It was founded on 26 June 1973. The Government of Karnataka, by an order on 27 December 1979, converted the institute into an autonomous institution to enable it not only to mobilise resources and expertise from other national and international agencies but also to develop and grow further into a pioneer and model in the field of oncology in Karnataka. The institute was registered on 8 January 1980 as an independent body. The first director of the institute, Dr. M. Krishna Bhargava, took charge on 23 January 1980.
Treatment and training
KMIO is a recognised exclusive tertiary cancer care centre cum academic and research institutes, delivering modern health care by groups of trained professionals coming together as interdisciplinary teams. It has facilities for advanced medical investigation and treatment. It is a member of the Union for International Cancer Control and is recognized by the World Health Organization. KMIO has, with its autonomous status, evolved into a tertiary cancer institute providing modern multidisciplinary total patient care, conducting medical/clinical research, promoting cancer education programs both at the institute and in the community and initiating planned epidemiological studies in this part of the country. The autonomy of the centre confers maximum centralized administrative and management authority over planning and execution, budgets, allocations staff appointments and procedures, ensuring thereby the most important attribute of such a centre — the excellence in quality of all work rendered. The institute stands poised today on the threshold of a future with an endless potential and promise in the service of cancer patients in particular and in cancer control in general in the atate of Karnataka.
Academics
;College of Oncology The academic cell has been in existence since 1987. The main objective and functioning of the academic cell is to facilitate the academic activities of the institute in the specialty of oncology.uThe institute imparts training in various discipline sub-specialties of oncology to post-graduate students, Undergraduate students, interns, nurses and scientists of allied sciences from various medical and paramedical institutions in the state and country. These courses are affiliated to Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences and have recognition by the respective bodies such as the Medical Council of India, National Board of Examinationsthe and Indian Nursing Council.
Charitable institute
KMIO is recognised as a charitable institute by the Endowment Department of Karnataka, considering its commitment for services to poor cancer patients. The charges levied for cancer investigations and treatment are well within the reach of poor patients. In cases where the total treatment cost is too high, patients are financially assisted by various schemes like free drugs from the institute, Karnataka Chief Minister's Medical Relief Fund, Poor Patients Welfare Fund, Children Welfare Fund, and Kidwai Cancer Drug Foundation. The anti-cancer drugs sold at Kidwai Cancer Drug Foundation are 40% to 60% cheaper than market rates.
Kalaburagi branch
branch has the facilities, including a LINIAC machine, a full-fledged CT stimulator, chemotherapy unit and operation theatre.
