While a 10-storeyed pain and palliative centre at the government medical college has received administrative sanction and funds have been cleared for a Rs 25-crore imaging centre, the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board has given its final approval of the Rs 380-crore Cochin Cancer Research Centre (CCRC).
Moreover, installation of the linear accelerator at the Ernakulam General Hospital has been completed and funding for the construction of a super specialty block at the hospital has been cleared. In addition, funding for the first aquatic therapy facility at the Haemophilia Treatment Centre (HTC) have also augmented super specialty and tertiary care facilities in Kochi.
The government gave its administrative sanction for the pain and palliative care block on Tuesday. As of now, there isnāt any such fullfledged and exclusive facility in the state. Even though some private agencies run such units, they are not fully equipped and would require the patients to pay through their noses.
A few days ago, the KIIFB gave its final approval for constructing the CCRC and project is expected to be completed in 600 days.
āThese projects together would ensure Kochiās transition into a medical hub. As of now, the state has only two cancer care centres, the Regional Cancer Centre (RRC) and the Malabar Cancer Centre (MCC). In the absence of such an institution in central Kerala, patients from the region have been suffering a lot,ā said Dr N K Sanil Kumar of Justice Krishna Iyer Movement.
At the Ernakulam General Hospital, development projects worth Rs 100 crore have been underway. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the linear accelerator at the hospital on April 5. For the construction of a super specialty block and cancer care block, KIIFB has allotted Rs 76 crore. The Smart Cochin Mission Limited (CSML) has allotted Rs 20 crore for construction of buildings and networking facilities as part of ehealth project.
Hibi Eden MLA has allotted Rs 2 crore towards construction of physical medicine and rehabilitation centre while firms such as the Cochin Shipyard Limited and the BPCL refinery have also contributed their CSR funds for the development of the general hospital.
āIn two years, the general hospital will have the potential to compete with any major corporatehospital in the state. The linear accelerator will provide advanced facilities for radiation therapy for cancer patients,ā said Dr Hanish, assistant resident medical officer, Ernakulam General Hospital.
A few days ago, Anwar Sadath MLA allotted Rs 28 lakh for the only haemophilia centre in the state to set up facilities for aquatic physiotherapy. A pool and other facilities required for aquatic therapy will be constructed at the centreās premises. āAquatic physiotherapy is considered as the best treatment for haemophilia patients. The facility will help them get the most advanced treatment,ā said Dr N Vijayakumar, medical officer in-charge, HTCAluva.
The number of dialysis centres in the government sector in the district have also been on the rise in the past couple of years. Authorities at the blood transfusion centre at the Aluva District Hospital, have sent a proposal to the government seeking nod for upgrading it into a centralised blood transfusion centre catering the entire state.