KOCHI: The state Budget surely brought a smile to the pursuers of the dream of ‘a full-fledged’ Cancer Center for Kochi. The Rs 390 crore Cochin Cancer Centre project is currently before the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) post receiving environmental clearance. Once KIIFB approves the project, a tender will be called and construction will begin as early as possible.
“At this juncture, receiving a big amount in the Budget is encouraging. We are reassured by the commitment the government showed towards the Cancer Centre project. We are hopeful the project will be approved soon and the construction started at the earliest. The combined efforts should be fruitful and hopefully, by next year we will have half the work done,” said Dr N K Sanil Kumar, Justice Krishna Iyer Movement.
In his Budget speech, Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said once the Cochin Cancer Centre begins functioning, the hospital will have the capacity to treat 80 per cent of the cancer patients. The Cancer Centre project was supposed to kickstart in November last year. However, the project got stalled due to delay in getting various clearances. The project is now back on the track.
The Budget also assures comprehensive trauma care in the district with the facility being expanded to taluk hospitals. The allocation of the oncology department in every medical college and the introduction of cardiology in every district hospitals are all expected to benefit the health sector in Ernakulam.