No urologist at cancer hospital, patients at the receiving end

Sameer Singh

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Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 15

Cancer patients suffer owing to unavailability of urologists at the Advanced Cancer Institute and Hospital in Bathinda. A number of patients with urinary and prostate cancer, who visit the hospital for treatment, have been referred to other hospitals for the past three years.

According to hospital authorities, they have written to the authorities concerned stating the requirement of a urology unit at the cancer hospital but nothing concrete has been done so far.

Sources in the hospital say that there is only one surgical oncologist at the hospital who performs all the operations. On an average, more than 30 patients with urinary and prostate cancer visit the hospital from Bathinda, Rajasthan and neighbouring districts annually. Citing unavailability of urologist and assisting medical staff, these patients are asked to undergo treatment either at Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot ,or Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh. Talking to Bathinda Tribune, Sandeep Dogra, a native of Himachal Pardesh who works in Bathinda, brought his father for treatment of urinary bladder cancer. But much to his dismay, he was asked to visit the PGI, Chandigarh, for treatment. Now, Dogra along with his father has to visit Chandigarh every fortnight to undergo treatment.

Another patient from Mansa, who suffers from prostate cancer, rued that travelling to Chandigarh for treatment every time was difficult so the government must ensure that a urology unit at the cancer hospital start functioning.

Sources said that while patients, who have financial backing from their family members, can avail treatment at private hospitals, majority of the patients visiting the cancer hospital are from low socio-economic strata and cannot afford to pay for high treatment expenses charged by private hospitals in the city.

Apart from urinary bladder and prostate cancer, patients with kidney cancer also require medical intervention of a specialised urologist.

When contacted, Dr MK Mahajan, Director, ACI&H, said, “Introducing a speciality unit needs hefty funds. Besides, purchasing and installing the medical equipment, requirement of doctors and other staff members, is another big challenge. We refer patients requiring medical intervention of a urologist to the Baba Farid Medical College or PGI, Chandigarh.”

Dr Mahajan added, “Certainly there is a requirement of fully-operational urology unit. We have written to the Baba Farid Medical College authorities (hospital is run under the university) for the same. The varsity authorities will further take up the matter with the state government.”