THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: To cater to the growing number of patients at the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), a 14-storey building is on the anvil. Though considered a pioneer institution in cancer care, RCC for some time now has been grappling with the issues of space constraint and lack of basic infrastructure facilities.The proposed building will come up at a cost of `187 crore within two years. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will lay the foundation stone of the building on Wednesday.
“RCC is witnessing heavy inflow of patients. Thus, there is a need to improve the facilities. With this, the institution could provide patient care in an effective manner without any delay,” said an officer with RCC.
According to the officer, the building will have state-of-the art radiotherapy machines, radioiodine therapy ward, nuclear medicine avenues, bone marrow transplant unit, operation theatres, wards, intensive care units, leukaemia ward, blood bank, microbiology unit and others.
“With the commissioning of the building, RCC’s bed strength will go up from 350 to 600. The building will utilise solar energy for its day-to-day operations. Also, it will follow the green protocol. Pollution control mechanisms, including biogas plants, will also be set up,” said the officer.
Earlier, RCC authorities had come out with the grievance the heavy inflow of patients coupled with space constraints and lack of manpower were taking a toll on them.The centre also says it is high time the two other cancer care centres in the state - Malabar Cancer Centre (MCC) in Kannur and Cochin Cancer Research Centre (CCRC) in Ernakulam – were raised to the standard of RCC.
The function that will take place on the RCC premises at 5 pm will be attended by ministers K K Shailaja and Kadakampally Surendran, Shashi Tharoor MP, RCC director Dr Rekha A Nair and others.