Let cancer centre OP function first: J B Koshy

Kochi:  The State Human Rights Commission Chairman Justice J.B. Koshy on Monday visited the Kochi Cancer Centre Outpatient building on the Ernakulam Government Medical College campus at Kalamassery to assess the progress of the work, accompanied by the district collector M.G. Rajamanickam who is currently holding the charge of the special officer of the project.

Justice Koshy said that the OP wing can be opened once four oncologists are posted there. Justice Koshy said that the cancer centre can be realised in phases and in the first phase let the OP start functioning. However the volunteers of Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer Movement led by Dr N.K. Sanil Kumar who were also present there pointed out there were not enough equipment to run the OP.

Justice Koshy asked Dr Sanil Kumar to inspect the list of equipment already set at the OP and discuss the needs and deficiencies with Dr V.P. Gangadharan and inform the same to Rajamanickam. When the team led by Dr Sanil Kumar inspected the list, it was identified that there were no equipment to detect cancer and the available equipment could test only blood and urine.

The medical college principal Dr V.K. Sreekala who was also present said that the essential facilities for detecting cancer like Immuno Histo Chemistry were not available even at the medical college. It was decided to make facilities available before proceeding to open the OP. Krishna Iyer Movement volunteers Justice P.K. Shamsudeen, C.G. Rajagopal, N.V. Murali and Ramanathan were also present.