Work on a ₹90-crore state-of-the-art Cancer Care Centre, a project initiated by Rotary and Public Welfare Trust, Tiruppur, under the aegis of Rotary Dist. 3203, took off on Wednesday with a ground-breaking event on the premises of the Government Medical College and Hospital, Tiruppur. Minister for Information and Publicity M.P. Saminathan was present.
The donors were mostly textile exporters and industrialists. The Minister committed ₹25 lakh on behalf of his family on the spot after the ground-breaking ceremony, saying the facility will obviate the need for cancer patients to travel to Coimbatore or elsewhere for treatment.
Tapping the Namakku Naame scheme, the Trust has, so far, mobilised about ₹17 crore out of ₹30 crore, accounting for one-third public share under the Namakku Naame project.
The State Government is contributing ₹60 crore through the Tiruppur Corporation. The facility is to be used for free cancer treatment under the CM’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme, the Minister said.
The high incidence of cancer in the district with its huge industrial work force had prompted designated member of Tamil Nadu Medical Council A. Muruganathan, former Rotary Governor and former Indian Medical Association president, to initiate the project in consultation with R. Murugesan, Dean of Government Medical College Hospital, Tiruppur, and other officials concerned.
The Radiation Oncology division envisages comprehensive medical, surgical and radiation oncology treatments to patients. The facility will be equipped with Medical Linear Accelerator (Linac-truebeam-dual energy), internal radiation treatment - High dose rate Brachytherapy, PET - CT (positron emission tomography–computed tomography scan), Cath Lab, Operation Theatre with C Arm and Advanced ICU, and day-care Chemotherapy Unit, Dr. Muruganathan said. There was a groundswell of public support for the project for which the Trust receives their calls for contributions over phone (9842231329/ 9843043141) and undertakes follow-up measures, he said.
The Government Medical College and Hospital has over the last couple of months provided treatment to about 150 patients and given medicines worth ₹5 lakh free of cost, project coordinator and clinical and radiation oncologist R. Sureshkumar, said.
