Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday formally inaugurated the out-patient wing of the Cochin Cancer Research Centre on the premises of the Government Medical College, Ernakulam.
The out-patient wing has been set up in the unused building of the medical college.
The Chief Minister said increased awareness against tobacco had resulted in fewer people taking up smoking, and such awareness was needed to combat other lifestyle diseases.
Mr. Vijayan said it was rare for a cancer hospital to be launched with an out-patient wing.
The people who reach the Kochi centre for treatment could be referred to higher centres or the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), Thiruvananthapuram, and it could lead to confusion. But he assured the public that it was a temporary arrangement.
Mr. Vijayan recalled the contribution of late Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer, who had led the public movement for the setting up of a cancer treatment and research centre in the city.
Earlier, presiding over the function, Health Minister K.K. Shylaja said the Rs.363-crore project would be completed in three phases, the first phase being the setting up of the out-patient wing.
