KOZHIKODE: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the MVR Cancer Centre and Research Institute (MVRCCRI) set up under Cancer and Allied Ailments Research (CARE) foundation of Calicut City Service Co-Operative bank on Tuesday. Addressing the gathering he said that the research studies in the recent past have reported an average of 55, 000 new cancer patients per year in the state. Hinting at the reasons for rise in cancer Chief Minister said that 40 percent of cancer among men are caused by tobacco consumption.
Chief Minister also called for healthy food habits and urged audience to avoid junk food to prevent cancer. “That is why we promote organic farming to ensure pesticide free food stuffs for masses,” he added. On the charity aspect of the project Mr Vijayan praised the leading minds of the project for conducting 27 free dialysis per day and for providing free treatment to 30 percent of the patients.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala inaugurated the hospital block. Dr Narayanan-kutty Warrier, Medical Director of MVRCCRI said that among the 60,000 cancer patients per year in the state, only 20,000 can afford the treatment while the rest are forced to compromise due to financial burden Coming up on a 15.5 acre at Vellalasseri here, the Rs 350 crore with 300 bed strength is spread over six lakhs square feet area .
The centre has been named after the late CMP leader M.V. Raghavan. Actress Manju Warrier, former Maharashtra governor K Sankaranarayanan, Cooperative minister Kadakampally Surendran, Excise minister T.P. Ramakrishnan, Mayor Thottathil Raveendran, M.K. Raghavan MP, CARE foundation chairman C.N. Vijayakrishnan were present.
