Kerala's first cancer care unit will open from January 17

KOZHIKODE: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will open Kerala’s first  cancer care unit and research centre in the cooperative sector  at Poolakkode village, Chuloor, in Kozhikode district  on January 17. The M.V. Raghavan cancer care hospital and research centre set up by the Care Foundation initiated by the City Service Cooperative Bank will open its  out-patient department in the first phase.  Both the OP and IP departments  will be functional from April.   The hospital being established at a cost of  Rs 350 crore has spent Rs 150 crore for acquiring the latest equipment.

Mr  C.N. Vijayakrishnan, chairman of MVR cancer centre and the City Service Cooperative Bank here said that  the cancer  centre was set up under  their corporate social responsibility  exclusively for Malabar.   “We will  reserve 30  percent of the in-patient department beds for free treatment  of  the underprivileged patients. With advanced technology  and  awareness, cancer can be  controlled,” he added. A well-equipped mobile cancer screening unit and satellite out-patient department centres will be set up in all major cities in the state, he  said.