KOCHI: The much-awaited in-patient facility at the Cochin Cancer Research Centre (CCRC) has started functioning, with the first two patients being admitted post-surgery this week. The facility can admit up to six patients as on date, and plans for further expansion are on the cards. Commencement of IP facility has provided a much-needed fillip to the infrastructure capability of the centre, which can potentially be an institute of acclaim akin to the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) in Thiruvananthapuram.
The CCRC, which boasts of premium state-of-the-art infrastructure, has nationally acclaimed oncologists and highly skilled surgeons. The two present in-patients have been admitted after surgeries conducted at the centre. The first surgery was to remove a tumour from the salivary glands of a 50-year-old woman on Tuesday.
“Another patient, with mouth cancer, who has undergone surgery, is admitted for post-operative treatment. After the final microbiological tests on the premises proved negative, we have started conducting surgeries at the CCRC. Twelve more staff including doctors have been appointed. For the first phase, we are aiming to have 48 staff for a 20-bed IP facility,” said Dr Mony Kuriakose, CCRC director.
In-patient facilities are primarily required for patients undergoing chemotherapy and surgery. Earlier, surgeries were conducted at the Ernakulam Medical College (EMC), as per the MoU signed by EMC and CCRC the previous year.
“The MoU still stands and according to the inflow of patients and availability of the facility for surgeries, we will schedule appropriate location. The surgeries will take place at CCRC as well as EMC,” said Dr Mony. Dr N K Sanilkumar, a member of the Justice Krishna Iyer Movement, also called for the need of an ambulance facility at the CCRC.