Nagpur: With the bhoomipujan for setting up of a 100-bedded cancer hospital at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Nagpur, the project has gained momentum. The hospital is likely to become functional in the next two years. The Government has sanctioned Rs 78 crore for this G+3 building which will have the latest facilities and equipment needed to treat cancer patients.
But Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, in his speech while performing bhoomipujan, showed willingness to increase the floors by three. At present, the total project is likely to be allotted about Rs 100 crore. The perspective view of the hospital is ready. As per the plan, the hospital will have diagnostic facilities plus administration on the ground floor, while Outpatient Department (OPD) will function on the first floor.
All types of surgeries related to cancer will be performed in Operation Theatres to be set up on the second floor. The In-patient Department (IPD) will be arranged on the third floor where all types of wards are planned. The Resident Doctors performing their duties in this cancer hospital will have staying facilities in the same building. Since the hospital is far from GMCH, the administration has made this residential arrangement there. The doctors will be available for rendering services during night time.
The hospital will have surgical oncology, medical oncology, gynaecology departments, facility of radiation and chemotherapy. There will be a small auditorium which can accommodate 50 people. The project work is being looked after by Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT), which has finalised all the aspects. At present, there are 3 big hospitals treating cancer patients. With the rise in the number of patients with cancer, these 3 hospitals are not able to handle the influx of patients.
Secondly, considering treatment cost, not many people can afford regular therapies given to cancer patients. Against this backdrop, it has become necessary that the people who can’t afford the treatment should receive it free of cost. GMCH has a good unit developed earlier by late Dr Krishna Kamble and later by Dr Ashok Diwan and his colleagues. But it is not enough, considering the number of patients coming to GMCH.
This department has to treat the patients going to Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH) as it does not have the dedicated cancer department. Long ago, the then Dean of GMCH, Dr Abhimanyu Niswade, had first introduced the idea of setting up of Cancer Hospital and the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis too had insisted on it. In fact, Fadnavis was very much keen to have the hospital so that poor and needy patients would get treatment free of cost.
Later, the next Dean Dr Sajal Mitra took the project forward and suggested the present place where the hospital is coming up. After taking charge as Dean, Dr Raj Gajbhiye pursued the project which is now taking shape. Along with the medicos, two non-medicos MLC Pravin Datke and ex-MLC Girish Vyas kept raising the issue on various floors. During Maha Vikas Aaghadi Government, the then Medical Education Minister Amit Deshmukh had agreed to merge RST Cancer Hospital with GMCH. Had that happened, patients would not have received treatment free of cost.
GMCH has already procured the main equipment, a Linear Accelerator worth Rs 23 crore to be used for the people suffering from cancer. The Department of Radiotherapy is functioning at the Government Medical College and Hospital, which provides some cancer treatment facilities. Though the new cancer hospital is planned, the department would not be abandoned.
The department will be upgraded to have more facilities for cancer treatment and administrative approval has also been given for the necessary construction. All the equipment will be purchased soon while in the next one and a half years, the construction work of Cancer Hospital will be completed.
