SAMBALPUR: The Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), Burla has deputed a senior doctor to hold cancer screening camp at Bargarh district headquarters hospital (DHH) on the first Saturday of every month from January next year.
An order from VIMSAR in this regard was received by the chief district medical officer (CDMO) of Bargarh on Wednesday. The order said, “Assistant professor in the department of Medicine, VIMSAR Dr Deepak Panigrahi is instructed to proceed to DHH, Bargarh for screening cancer patients on the first Saturday of every month.”
Bargarh CDMO Arun Patra said the screening camp will help in diagnosing cancer cases at an early stage. The camp will be conducted till a cancer hospital is set up here.
Sources said Bargarh reports a large number of cancer cases every year but in absence of proper diagnosis and treatment facilities in the district, many patients are diagnosed with the deadly disease at an advanced stage and often succumb to it.
Earlier this year, Bargarh MLA Debesh Acharya had requested VIMSAR Director Dr Lalit Meher to depute a doctor for screening of cancer patients. Meher said, “If the screening camp receives a positive response, we will decide on deputing more doctors. Besides, we will also take a decision on holding the camps twice a month depending on the response.”
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had announced to set up a cancer hospital in Bargarh in January last year. On October 9 this year, tender for construction of the hospital was floated. The 50-bed cancer hospital, to be set up over an area of 10,000 square feet on the premises of Bargarh DHH, is expected to be ready in next two years.