Dr Harsh Vardhan vows to elevate Regional Cancer Centre to national level, lauds prohibition
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Friday assured that he would extend all support for converting Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) from state institute to national level institute.
At a press conference after launching Rs 120 crore worth development projects at the RCC and handing over of NABH certification, Dr Harsh Vardhan said that he would personally work on the proposal and ensure that the institution was upgraded to higher status.
When his attention was drawn to the fact that the previous UPA Government had approved the proposal in principle but Planning Commission shot it down citing financial constraints, the Union Health Minister said, “Financial problems are there in the system over all. It is not only with cancer care institutes or for that matter any other project.”
Health Minister said despite financial crunch the government had to set out its priorities. “As health minister as a doctor and also after personally having seen what is happening here, I told about my intention and desire that I would be personally very happy if we could further extend support to raise the status of RCC,’’ he said.
“We have taken over only three months back and there was only one interim budget that we have passed in Parliament. We have cleared many pending projects. We will apply our mind with fresh open vision and do the needful,’’ he added.
On All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), he said the Centre had received suggestions about various locations in the state. “As soon as we get clear cut clearances from state government, our teams will start inspecting the sites and assessing the feasibility and accessibility factor. We will finalise the site in most objective manner and finalise it in consultation with the state government,’’ Harsh Vardhan added.
The minister also hailed Chief Minister Oommen Chandy for taking the bold decision to bring phased prohibition in the state.
At the function at RCC, the union minister said that he was the first one to tweet on the issue congratulating the CM. “What the Chief Minster did is a good step and in the right direction which will benefit the society at large significantly. Anything which is done whether through law, social awakening, persuasion, school education or any possible means, which inspires people to quit smoking, tobacco use and addictive habit of alcohol intake, is laudable,’’ he said.
“I don’t know how much he will be criticised for this in Kerala. When you do something radical on these two fronts, many vested interests and vested lobbies work against you. But anything that is good for the betterment of the society should always be appreciated. I would like to place on record my appreciation for the chief minister. When asked whether he would impress the Centre to check the grant of bar licenses to five star hotels especially in states which have declared phased prohibition, Dr Harsh Vardhan said, “Since this is a matter of policy that does not concern my department I cannot say how other departments will react.’’
