It’s the season of brooms. Youth Congress activists protested the dilapidated condition of the Early Cancer Detection Unit at Kaloor, a satellite centre of the Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, by cleaning the premises of the institution.
K. R. Vishwambharan, former Vice Chancellor of the Kerala Agriculture University, inaugurated the protest. Manu Jacob, Youth Congress leader, who presided, told The Hindu that there was only a nurse on duty on Wednesday. About 60 people reach the centre every day, either for screening or for a follow-up programme.
However, the facilities were rather pitiable, he said. A slaughterhouse adjacent to it makes it difficult for people to stay on the premises. Besides, the building situated right after the Kaloor private bus stand is hardly visible because of the large number of advertisement boards. According to the activists, the budget allocation for early cancer detection centre should be utilised to bring in more doctors and nurses. One of the main functions of the unit is to conduct screening camps, but it is alleged that there are not enough personnel or vehicles to conduct such camps.
