Country’s premier medical institute, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), has proposed the name of Joint Secretary (Medical Education) of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for a trip to the United States to study cancer facilities. The reported move has caused consternation among cancer experts who are being denied the chance to visit some prominent cancer treatment hospital in the US.
The proposed visit has been planned to lend expertise to the Jhajjar Cancer Campus of AIIMS. The proposal has been moved by V Srinivas, Deputy Director (Administration), AIIMS.
The trip, scheduled for November 9 to 14, to procure an idea and blueprint for the commissioning of the National Cancer Institute at AIIMS Jhajjar Campus will not have any cancer expert on board. The Pioneer is in possession of the letter addressed to the Joint Secretary Medical Education from the Deputy Director of AIIMS, stated, “It is important for the Joint Secretary Medical Education to be fully acquainted with the global best practices in establishment of cancer institute given the large number of inter-governmental clearances necessary for establishing the national cancer institute.”
However, sources told The Pioneer, the officials visiting the US have zero knowledge about cancer and its treatment. “The visiting should have a cancer expert to study the facilities in some of premier cancer hospital of the US. It is more of a six-day ‘fun trip’ and the expenses will be borne by the AIIMS administration. It will be Diwali for them in the US at the expense of public fund,” sources said.
It may be noted that, the National Cancer Institute is to be established in AIIMS Jhajjar Campus at a cost of Rs2,035 crore. The project involves creation of 2,700 posts, procurement of Rs600 crore of machinery and civil works amounting to Rs800 crore.
“The officials who are flying to US to collect the first-hand account for the establishment of the National Cancer Institute at AIIMS Jajjhar, have no knowledge of the medical and nor they are accompanied by cancer specialists,” sources said. “The delegation will visit the National Cancer Institute Baltimore, the Johns Hopkins University Maryland, the Scripps Proton Therapy Center San Diego and MD Anderson Cancer Centre Texas. The costs for the visit can be borne from the project costs of the National Cancer Institute,” they said.
When contacted, V Srinivas said, “No AIIMS delegations are being mounted to US for National Cancer Institute for the official tour in November.” However, a few oncologists visited US in May, he added.