KOCHI: Giving a big boost the fledgling Cochin Cancer Research Centre (CCRC), former PWD minister and Kalamassery MLA V. K. Ebrahim Kunju has allocated Rs 34 lakh from his asset development fund to enable CCRC to purchase instruments for detecting and treating early stage cervical cancer. These instruments include hysteroscope, colposcope and cautery. With the arrival of this facility, a large number of patients will be benefited from the state. According to the available data, from the total 52,000 new patients emerging in the state every year, over 2000 are cervical cancer patients, having the third position in cancers among women in the state.
The top position is for breast cancer at around 15,000 patients, followed by thyroid cancer at around 5000 patients. It is estimated that from one lakh population of women, almost eight people fall victim to cervical cancer. “I have given the consent letter to the district collector K. Mohammed Y. Safirulla, who is the special officer of CCRC, for purchasing the instruments which will reach the CCRC in two-three months after tenders are invited for purchasing the same,” Mr Ebrahim Kunju told DC on Monday.
Meanwhile it is learnt that the co-operation between the CCRC and the Ernakulam Government Medical College for conducting cancer surgeries is progressing smoothly though on a limited scale. So far processes like thyroid surgery, tracheostomy and laryngeal biopsy have been done at the EMC by the surgeons at the cancer centre. The attempt to secure an operation theatre at EMC exclusively for CCRC is expected to take some more time as the Kerala Medical Service Corporation Limited (KMSCL) will have to go for an e-tender to purchase the instruments for use at the operation theatre. The operation theatre is to be operational only by the end of this year.
