KOCHI: Cochin Cancer Centre is gradually becoming a sought after place by patients from Ernakulam and nearby districts. As on January 31, an average of 100 patients per month visited the centre for initial and further treatments.
According to the register at the Cancer Centre OP, which began functioning on November 1, 2016, as many as 324 patients have utilised the service at the centre.
“This figure includes 137 male and 157 female patients. Total OP attendance for the last three months is 690, including new registration and repeat consulting,” said Dr Ushashree Warrier, senior radiation oncologist at the Cerntre. However, the number new diagnosis is two to three per month now, Dr Warrier added.
“Figures show that the number of female patients is a little higher than that of males. Breast, ovarian and oral cavity cancer are the common ones found among the women who come here. Among males, cancer of the oral cavity and lung are found to be on the rise,” she said.
The OP centre which began with limited facilities now offers chemotherapy. Patients who require radiation treatment are referred to the General hospital, Ernakulam or Medical College, Kottayam. Procedures which require anaesthesia are carried out at the Cochin Medical College.
Biopsies in which anaesthesia is required are done at the Cochin Medical College while other procedures are done at the Centre itself.
The Centre has six doctors, including one gynec oncologist. The laboratory is nearing completion and is expected to go full fledged soon. But the lab now operates with limited facilities. It has three technicians and one doctor - an onco pathologist.
Posts of the superintendent and the director are the only remaining vacancies to be filled. Though the senior surgical oncologist at Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) Dr Balagopal has been identified for the post of the superintendent, appointment proceedings are not complete yet.