Kochi: The outpatient wing of the Kochi Cancer Research Centre (KCRC) opened on November 1 is not fully functional without a medical superintendent and for want of co-operation from the adjoining Ernakulam Government Medical College (EMC).
Surgical oncologist and neurosurgeon Dr P. G. Balagopal, an additional professor at Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, is learnt to have expressed his willingness to come and build the institution a month ago, but his appointment has been held up by red tape.
In the latest instance, health minister K. K. Shylaja is understood to have personally intervened to make it happen.
Two oncology surgeons at KCRC, Dr Sisha Liz Abraham and Dr Neetha Sreedharan, are idling with no surgery to do because of lack of facilities here or initiative to do the same at EMC.
EMC medical superintendent Dr P. Anilkumar said the EMC officials had at the weekly meetings held among medical college authorities and cancer centre authorities in the presence of district collector Muhammed Y. Safirulla made it clear to the cancer centre officials that the operation theatre at EMC can be used for cancer surgeries.
“But they have to make available the staff, including doctors, and equipment. Now the initiative has to come from them,” he said.
One of the doctors at the Cancer Centre said that the groundwork for undertaking the surgeries is being done now.
“The Cancer Centre needs an anaesthetist for the purpose and also equipment. The weekly meetings being convened by the district collector and EMC authorities are trying to address the issue,” said the doctor.
“Postoperative care is very important in onco-surgeries, and well-equipped ICUs and ventilators have to be readied for the purpose. The preparation in this direction will certainly get a fillip with the medical superintendent joining expectedly in a week from now.”
