Kochi Cancer Centre, Ernakulam Government Medical College to get KIIFB aid

KOCHI: The board meeting of Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) held in the state capital on Tuesday has given a fillip to the development aspirations of Ernakulam district in the health sector by approving the second phase implementation of the Kochi Cancer Research Centre (KCRC) project and the expansion of the Ernakulam Government Medical College (EMC) at a cost of Rs 310 crore each. A 186-bed hospital is envisaged in the second phase of the cancer centre project while a slew of super specialty divisions will be added to the EMC apart from adding various other infrastructure facilities. Private sector firm INKEL which also has government equity has been identified as the agency to implement both projects.

According to officials in the sector, with the approval of the two projects by KIIFB and by identifying the implementing agency, the projects will now enter the phase of tendering civil works and then proceed to implementation. The cancer centre first phase concluded with the setting up of the OP wing and the second phase implementation was proposed at a cost of Rs 355 crore. However, this amount has not been sanctioned by the KIIFB board. The research centre will come only in the third phase. The land of 12 acres for the cancer centre has already been demarcated from the EMC land and now the government order has to be issued to make it in the name of the cancer centre.

Then only the construction works can start, an official said. Modern facilities and equipment are envisaged in the second phase implementation of the project but it needs to be seen whether the government will sanction the remaining amount to set up the hospital without compromising on quality. The transition of EMC from the co-operative sector to government sector will be complete with the implementation of the new project and it can be on par with other major government medical colleges after that.