CNCI to get second campus in 2018

The decision was taken at a high level meeting held in New Delhi on July 12. Union Health Minister JP Nadda and the state Health Minister Dr Sashi Panja were present at the meeting.

The Union Government had decided to set up the second campus in 2014, at an estimated cost of Rs 244 crore. The then Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had held a meeting with the state Health Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata. But since then, not much progress has taken place.

Banerjee had expressed concern over the inordinate delay. Dr Panja once again raised the issue at the meeting in Delhi and the Union Health Ministry asked the construction firm involved to expedite work and fixed the time of completion.

The CNCI was inaugurated by Madam J Curie on January 2, 1950 when Dr BC Roy was the Chief Minister. Dr Subodh Mitra was the key person behind setting up of the hospital. The institute is a premier institute for cancer treatment in the country. It was named after freedom fighter Chittaranjan Das, who donated land and money to set up a hospital.

It was decided that equipment worth over Rs 30 crore would be procured to modernise CNCI. Dr Panja also urged the Centre to ensure free treatment to the patients going to the hospital, similar to the state run ones. The establishment of a fair price medicine shop in the premises of CNCI was also urged. Nadda assured that he would look into the matter.

The CNCI would launch a massive awareness campaign against cervical cancer, which has become rampant over the past few years, for mothers and daughters. Camps will be held under the community health programme.

Due to lack of awareness, by the time patients come to the hospital for treatment, much of the damage has been done. Early screening helps doctors to detect the disease early and start treatment.