Kochi: Cochin Cancer Research Centre (CCRC) which started as an OP wing in the payward building of Ernakulam Government Med-ical College (EMC) two years ago is adding new features to it even before an own building is readied for it. The OP wing where limited in-patient facility is also added and chemotherapy treatment is provided is adding facilities like a mammogram unit, speech and swallow clinic and an ultrasound scanning system taking the OP wing to the next level.
The mammogram costing Rs 1.5 crore imp-orted from Germany reached the CCRC the other day. Once it is set up with the aid of German technicians, breast cancer detection and treatment will become a major feature of CCRC. The mammogram is purchased using the funds provided by C.P. Nara-yanan MP. A CCRC official said that the ultrasound scanning system too will be installed soon at the CCRC.
Officials said that the equipment worth '1.25 crore for the speech and swallow clinic will arrive soon at CCRC. Even the Regional Cancer Centre at Thiruvananthapuram is still to have a speech and swallow clinic which is for patients having cancers in larynx and have undergone surgery and radiotherapy. The clinic assists in the process of swallowing and speech with various techniques.
More and more patients are flocking to CCRC for undergoing chemotherapy considering the high cost of chemotherapy in private hospitals. Though the equipment for setting up the CCRC cancer centre operation theatre at the EMC arrived a few months back, the PWD is yet to complete the civil works on it which is delaying the proposed cancer surgeries at the EMC facility. Already public outrage is mounting over the attitude of the PWD to the works and the District Collector and Special Officer of CCRC Muh-ammed Y Safirulla has intervened to realize it next month.
