Thiruvananthapuram: A large portion of the funds set apart for Santhwanam project, introduced by the city corporation for cancer care, remains underutilised, as not many have sought the assistance.
Though the corporation introduced the project in 2011-2012, the number of beneficiaries, according to corporation officials, will be in the range of 100. This despite the high prevalence of cancer here. It had deposited Rs 52.5 lakh for female patients and Rs 10 lakh for male patients with the Regional Cancer Centre.
The amount will be utilised to pay up medical expenses of up to Rs 10,000 for every male patient and '15,000 for every female patient. If the project had been fully utilised, the number of beneficiaries would have been over 400.
The reason for this could be lack of awareness among the public, according to corporation officials. “Another reason could be that the amount is not as big as that received through other projects like Karunya or Sukrutham,” says an official.
Those with a BPL card or earning an annual income below Rs 50,000 can apply.
The applications usually do not take much time to process, according to officials.
But the council meeting the other day had discussed the case of M.A. Ashraf, who according to councillor Karamana Ajith had applied for Santhwanam assistance in 2012. The assistance was sanctioned by the council on Friday, but the patient had died in February.
Corporation officials say that this usually does not happen. Health officer Dr C. Ummuselma says, “I’m not aware of this particular case. But as soon as the ward committee approves of the patient’s application, we send a letter to RCC as treatment cannot be delayed. Only later it is presented before the council to avoid audit objection.”
Santhwanam project is technically over, as the state government has introduced Sukrutham. However, the deposit with RCC can be utilised, and the corporation should take steps to make potential beneficiaries aware of this.
