KOCHI:
KOCHI: The General Hospital (GH) here is all set for a paradigm shift in cancer care in the public sector, with a linear accelerator (Linac) facility likely to be installed by the end of the third quarter of the year.
The proposed Cancer Care Block is also expected to come up at the hospital in the near future, as the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) has approved a total of ₹14.92 crore for the project. This will help in creating a modern cancer care facility in the public sector in two years. The work on housing Linac had commenced in September 2015, with as many as eight MPs pooling in development funds for the project. The funding was led by former MP P. Rajeev. The GH authorities are awaiting the shipment of the equipment. Moreover, the Linac building will be expanded into a full-fledged Cancer Care Block.
Linac will provide cutting-edge technology in cancer care. It will help in enhancing the efficiency of radiation therapy, as high-energy dose can be targeted at deep-seated tumours with minimal damage to the surrounding tissues. The Cancer Care Block will be 22,000 square feet in area and will have five floors. The ground floor that will house Linac will later be expanded to house the outpatient department, reception, patients’ waiting area, and chemotherapy preparation room. There will be a chemotherapy room, nursing stations, and stores on the first floor; general wards for men and women on the second and third floors, and pay wards, library, and teaching rooms on the fourth floor. The floor plans are likely to undergo changes once the final project report is ready.
While the government has in-principle approved the project, the hospital authorities and INKEL, the implementing agency, are waiting for the approval of a detailed project report.
