The Praja Arogya Vedika (PAV) has appealed to MPs from Visakhapatnam region to pursue with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for early sanction of funds for setting up of the Tertiary Cancer Centre proposed at the King George Hospital (KGH).
In separate letters to Rajya Sabha Member V. Vijaya Sai Reddy and MPs M.V.V. Satyanarayana (Visakhapatnam) and B.V. Satyavathi (Anakapalle), PAV general secretary T. Kameswara Rao recalled that an agreement was signed between the Government of India, State government and the hospital for establishment of the tertiary care centre.
Expert panel report
An expert committee also visited the KGH in September last year for a feasibility study and submitted a report to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare seeking funds for purchase of equipment. Subsequently, officials from Andhra Medical College (AMC) were invited by the Ministry to make a presentation on the facilities in February this year, Mr. Kameswara Rao said. The building, accommodating the CSR Oncology Block at the KGH was built at a cost of ₹20 crore, and is ready. “All that is needed is funds to purchase equipment. Every year, around 3,000 cancer patients come to the hospital for treatment from the neighboring districts as well as from Odisha and Chhattisgarh,” he added.
‘₹40 crore needed’
Mr. Kameswara Rao appealed to the MPs to impress upon the Central government to release ₹40 crore for purchase of equipment.
