Punjab Government has sanctioned Rs 300 crore for setting up cancer units in the State as part of a special drive to build ultra modern infrastructure for treatment of cancer patients in Government hospitals.
“A sum of Rs 300 crore has been sanctioned by the State Government for setting up cancer units in the three Government hospitals at Amritsar, Faridkot and Patiala,” said Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Madan Mohan Mittal on Wednesday. In addition, the State Government is setting up another cancer unit in civil hospital at Sangrur in collaboration with Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), Mumbai, at a cost of Rs 5 crore, he said. He said that the State Government has taken this step keeping in view the increasing number of cancer patients in Punjab. Besides creating infrastructure, the health department would soon recruit cancer specialists and the department is also in the process of identifying doctors and nurses who can be trained for assisting in cancer treatment, he added.
“The State Government would utilise TMC’s services in placing orders to purchase equipment required in radiotherapy units and laboratories….Specialists from TMC in Mumbai and PGI, Chandigarh have given their consent to train doctors and other staff to treat cancer patients,” the Minister added. “The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of India has also given a go-ahead to construct radiotherapy bunkers at Government hospitals to set up linear accelerators that will help in the treatment of patients suffering from cancer,” said Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare Vini Mahajan. She added that work is in progress for construction of radiotherapy bunkers at Government Hospitals.