City still awaits Cancer, Geriatric Centre
| Date :14-May-2019 |
By Vikas Vaidya:
Though with much hype, Government sanctioned Nagpur’s Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), a Regional Cancer Centre and Regional Geriatric Centre, both have made no progress after one year of the approval. On the contrary similar projects have been started at Aurangabad and Mumbai. Statistics documented by oncologists and other related organisations clearly indicated Nagpur is becoming cancer capital. Taking note of this dangerous aspect, Government had come up with Regional Cancer Centre in GMCH premises near TB ward. It had also sanctioned RS 25 crore for Linear Accelerator, an important equipment in cancer treatment.
Unfortunately, it didn’t move forward. GMCH is running department of Cancer on a small scale. Rashtra Sant Tukadoji Cancer Hospital is also doing charity work. There are three private hospitals namely Alexis Hospital known for its state of the art facilities, HCG-NCHRI is another well-equipped hospital dedicated to cancer treatment and third one is NCI, 20 kms away from Nagpur. Against this backdrop, Nagpur needs one Regional Cancer Institute, run by Government on an urgent basis. Same is the case with Regional Geriatric Centre that got approved from Central Government under National Programme for Healthcare of Elderly (NPHCE). Idea was to provide separate healthcare to ailing senior citizens. Some 60 beds are to be kept separately where elderly people were to be admitted and treated.
Central Government was to provide 60% amount while 40% was State’s share. The Center was to help to provide universal health facilities to the elderly independently. According to sources in Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Delhi the 60% share of Central Government was not released. The Cabinet had already given approval to State’s fund and creation of posts. The Cabinet also authorised the Directorate of Medical Education and Research for signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The centre was supposed to look after the need to create posts for which a proposal was to be sent to high level committee for the approval in the next three years.
The posts were to be filled on contract basis and after three years the review of the posts was planned. Due to increase in life expectancy and change in life style, the average age of the citizens has increased. As a result, there is a marked rise in the number of senior people in society. The NPHCE is being implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India for special care of the health of elderly people. On the other hand, both Cancer and Geriatric related academic and treatment facilities have started at Aurangabad and Mumbai. Though Aurangabad does not have Geriatric Centre but it does have Post Graduate course in Geriatric on the basis of which it can demand for the centre also and there are chances that Nagpur may lose the opportunity to get the centre.