Christmas is a time to reflect on the whole year and and look forward to the new one with lots of hopes and promises. Topping the list of hopes is the cancer centre which will certainly be a great reprieve to those suffering from the dreaded disease.
The centre would be a milestone in Kochi’s journey. If everything goes as promised by the Chief Minister and Health Minister, 2014 is likely to witness the commencement of the preliminary work for the modern cancer research and treatment centre.
The Chief Minister will convene a meeting of stakeholders on January 4. Earlier, the meeting was scheduled to be held on December 27. Apart from the Chief Minister and Health Minister, other ministers from Ernakulam district, MLAs and MPs, heads of the local bodies and the director of Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, will attend.
Kochi’s dream of having a modern cancer centre has been soaring high ever since the state government announced its decision to take over the Cochin Medical College. The centre is proposed to come up in 35 acres of land in the possession of medical college which has been lying vacant.
Headed by Justice V R Krishna Iyer and supported by writer M K Sanoo, former District Collector K R Viswambharan and Dr N K Sanil Kumar, the campaign for the Kochi cancer centre was launched on October 28 by actor Dileep.
The campaign garnered public support in no time and many personalities from the film fraternity, including actors Innocent and Mammootty have offered support for the proposal.
However, there is an apprehension among the campaigners as the government is yet to entrust an agency to prepare a detailed project report for the proposed cancer centre.
“The Health Minister is still sticking on to the preliminary report prepared by the director of the Regional Cancer Centre, which was reportedly rejected by the Secretary to Health Department.
“A DPR is essential to go ahead with the project. The government should take the initiative to constitute a team of experts should be constituted to look into the matter,” said Dr Sanil, a volunteer of the campaign who has also conducted a study on spread of cancer in the state.