Cuttack: Stepping up its efforts to provide affordable healthcare facilities to people afflicted by cancer, the state government will upgrade infrastructure at Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre (AHRCC) and extend free chemotherapy facility in each district within three months.
Health Minister Pratap Jena who presided over the department’s general council meeting here Monday said free chemotherapy is available at 18 district headquarters hospitals (DHHs) and the service will be extended to 12 other DHHs in three months.
The minister also consented to implement some of the crucial decisions regarding infrastructure upgradation at AHRCC. According to decisions, a proposed six-storey structure atop Linac building will be completed in phases (two floors at one go). The first floor will have PET-CT scan machine while MRI machine will be installed at the second floor. The AHRCC will procure the state-of-the-art equipment which will be operationalised on PPP mode.
Since the two existing Cobalt Ray machines have become defunct, two more Radiotherapy units will be procured soon. The Centre has sanctioned funds for one such machine while the state government will finance the other, if Central aid is not available.
In order to boost infrastructure at the premier health centre, the government has decided to erect a seven-storey building on the spot. Initially, steps were being taken for a three-storey structure. This will facilitate expansion of the outpatient department (OPD).
Land identified at Barang for the second campus of AHRCC, will be handed over to the hospital authorities after government’s approval. The process will be expedited in coordination with General Administration department.
On the academic front, two-year post-graduate courses for two seats each in Gynae Oncology and Surgical Oncology will commence this academic session. The institution has six PG seats on Radiation Oncology while admission to 20 seats in diploma in laboratory technician (DMLT) will be taken up this year.
This apart, telemedicine will be introduced for one month on a pilot basis. The meeting also revealed that steps would be taken to fill vacant posts of professor, associate professor, assistant professor and others within three months.
The general electricity department (GED) has been asked to undertake repair of electric equipment at the institution.
In order to tighten security, AHRCC which has a strength of 40 security guards will be increased to 50.
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