Kerala: KIIFB to be asked for funds for the Cancer Research Centre

Kochi: The Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) is to be asked for funds by the government to complete the second phase of development of the Cochin Cancer Research Centre at Kalamassery .

A Rs 360-crore detailed project report (DPR) to build a 210-bed hospital and research centre had been recently submitted revealed the Minister for Health, KK shylaja. The work on the cancer centre will begin as soon as the funding was finalized she added.

The aim is to build a cancer treatment center which is as good as the Regional Cancer centre (RCC) Thiruvananthapuram. This would lessen the burden on the RCC. The Malabar Cancer Centre is to be built on similar lines. The government has released 29 crore towards purchase of equipment for it.

The Cochin Cancer Centre is meant to have early detection, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care services as its part.

The HSCC Limited had presented a revised Detailed Project Report of the project recently. The earlier DPR had envisioned a 300-bed cancer center at a cost of Rs 450 crore.

The Cochin Cancer Research Centre recently began its operations in the renovated building of GMC, Ernakulam, with the opening of an out-patient wing. Though functioning on a daily basis with a chemotherapy facility the RCC is yet to appoint a medical director & medical oncologists. It also has to start a full-fledged diagnostic laboratory.

The medical college facilities are to be utilized for the OPD in the renovated building till such time that the cancer centre building gets ready. It is the aim of the government to make cancer treatment accessible for the economically backward patients of the state. This it plans to do by improving cancer treatment across the state said the State Health Minister. 105 new oncology post are being created, as an effort to improve cancer treatment in the state.The next step on the part of the government will be to get experts to join Government said the Minister.

To address the lack of expert hands in government sector, 105 new oncology posts had been created, she said. The next step would be to get experts to join government ventures.