Team Herald
PANJIM: Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Monday said that a full-fledged state-of-the-art cancer institute will be ready in next 15-16 months.
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He said that the government has tied-up with Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, who is assisting the State in setting up the institute and later in its functioning.
Addressing mediapersons, Rane said that the institute is presently under construction in the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) complex premises at Bambolim and is likely to be completed within next 15-16 months.
Being built at a cost of around Rs 350 crore with financial support from the Centre, the facility will have 120 beds.
Further, Rane said that Health Department needs around Rs 160 to Rs 200 crore to make the new Super-Speciality Hospital fully functional within the next two-three months.
Earlier, addressing the World Cancer Day event, the Minister said that the department has been incessantly launching various initiatives, programmes and awareness drives to fight the wrath of the number of rising cases of cancer in the State.
Director of Health Services Dr Geeta Kakodkar said that in Goa, almost one-third of deaths from cancer are as a result of tobacco consumption increased body mass index, alcohol consumption, lack of fruit and vegetable intake and lack of physical activity.
Chief Consultant and Head, Department of Medical Oncology at GMC Dr Anupama Borkar said that with increasing cancer burden, the need was felt to develop palliative care services in Goa to help patients and families deal with this life threatening illness.
