BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government has decided to provide palliative care for cancer patients at district level hospitals in the state. The service will be available at seven District Headquarters Hospitals (DHH) and Capital Hospital from October 2.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Health and Family Welfare Minister Nabakishore Das here on Saturday. “Required infrastructure like extra beds and medicines will be provided for palliative care.
This approach to care for the cancer patients that addresses patients as a whole, not just their disease will definitely be a great help,” said Das.
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It has also been decided to extend chemotherapy service for treatment of cancer patients under district cancer care programme, which is now available at 26 district-level hospitals, including Capital Hospital and Rourkela Government Hospital, to all districts.
Chemotherapy will be available at Cuttack City Hospital, DHHs at Puri, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Deogarh, Angul and Veer Surendra Sai Institute Of Medical Science and Research at Burla besides MKCG Medical College and Hospital at Berhampur.
“Steps will be taken to speed up the works to make Pulmonary Department of SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack as Centre of Excellence. Improved treatment facilities will be made available for cancer patients at VIMSAR and MKCGMCH,” the Minister said.
He also informed that feedback from patients getting treatment at Government hospitals will be collected as part of ‘Mo Sarkar’ initiative by senior health officials, including Secretary of the Department on a daily basis.
Similarly, decision has been taken to make 15 centres of the proposed Cancer Research Centre at Baranga operational in the first phase by 2020. The Centre is being set up in collaboration with Tata Trusts.