KOCHI: Cochin Cancer Research Centre (CCRC) will soon get a facelift with the Ernakulam Medical College handing over the designated operation theatre and a bed in ICU in November.The CCRC had inked a memorandum of association (MoU) with EMC last year to this effect.
“The operating room and the ICU bed will be handed over to CCRC in November after renovation. For now, we conduct our surgeries at MCH and support different departments in CCRC,” said CCRC director Dr Moni Abraham Kuriakose.
Recently, a CCRC surgeon carried out a surgery at the Ernakulam General Hospital which has better theatre facility. But, this drew flak from the public as there were earlier attempts to transfer surgeons to the General Hospital. Besides, the operation also raised questions about the MoU signed with the EMC.“With the handing over of operation theatre, cancer patients will get better treatment without having to travel much. The collaboration is also laudable. The fact that the surgeons have to go out to perform surgeries defeats the purpose of CCRC itself. Was it discussed in the CCRC executive committee? The MoU should be utilised properly. If the operation theatre will indeed be handed over next month, it is good news for the patients,” said Dr N K Sanilkumar, of Krishna Iyer Movement.
CCRC began functioning on November 1, 2016 with an OP wing housed in the payward building of the EMC. Since then, it has added new facilities, departments and therapies. However, the MoU signed to ensure surgeries to be carried out in a dedicated operation theatre at EMC has been hanging fire for the past one year.
The new building built for CCRC was recently in news after the construction was halted at piling stage due to ‘nokkukooli’ issues. However, the works have resumed now.