Two of the ambitious facilities, an Immuno Analyser and a Speech and Swallowing Clinic, that were proposed for the Cochin Cancer and Research Centre (CCRC) is learnt to have been shot down by the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), Thiruvananthapuram.
The proposal of ₹2 crore for the two facilities was part of the package of several projects submitted to the government by the Special Officer to provide state-of-the-art facilities for cancer treatment and rehabilitation.
It is learnt that the RCC had given adverse comments on these two proposals when the government forwarded it to the RCC for technical validation. However, experts in the field believe that these are important projects in setting up a comprehensive cancer care centre.
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KIIFB meeting
Though the monthly meeting of the Kerala Infrastructure and Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) did not take place, it has asked the CCRC to start the landscaping work to avoid further delay of the ₹395-crore project. The next KIIFB meeting is expected to take place on March 15.
Work of ₹4 crore, which involves construction of boundary wall and approach road, will begin soon on the 12.2 acres of land lying next to the Government Medical College, Kalamassery, that had been identified earlier for the CCRC.
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Among the two facilities that were struck down by the RCC, Immuno Analyser, costing about ₹70 lakh, is available at many places and is used for measuring tumour markers, helping in detecting early recurrence of the disease. It helps in assaying blood for Hepatitis A, B, C and HIV besides measuring the hormone levels in a patient. It is said to be an important machinery for a centre that handles advanced treatment procedures.
Rehabilitation centre
Speech and Swallowing Clinic, which was proposed as the first such clinic in the public sector, already has nearly a hundred patients registered since it was announced by the Special Officer a couple of months ago. Several patients who have had surgeries at the Ernakulam General Hospital and Kottayam Medical College are among those who had registered.
The Speech and Swallowing Clinic is said to a rehabilitation centre for patients who had undergone larynx surgery or other oral cancer surgeries. The proposal was sent after CCRC officials visited the advanced Tata Cancer Institute, Mumbai.
Some of the machinery that would be required include a flexible nasopharyngolaryngo scope with processor, light source, monitor and trolley costing ₹25 lakh; transnasal esophagoscope with processor, light source, monitor and trolley costing ₹25 lakh; stroboscope of ₹16-18 lakh and software that could cost ₹12 lakh (ordinary) or ₹30 lakh (dedicated).
Speech pathologist and therapist are among the technically trained personnel required for the facility.