State Cancer Institute to be operational by April

Samaan Lateef

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 19

As the number of cancer patients is increasing in Kashmir, the state administration has expedited the process to make State Cancer Institute (SCI) at the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) functional in the next few months.

Officials say the state government has decided to release its share of funds for SCI, which is being constructed on 90:10 Centre-state share of Rs 120 crore.

“The incidence of cancer in Kashmir is 75 cases per one lakh population per year, which is below the national average of 100,” said Prof Mohammad Maqbool Lone, head of the department of radiation oncology, SKIMS. “Kashmir witnesses an increase of nearly 10 per cent cancer cases in a year. This year, the number has crossed 5,000,” Lone said.

To cater to the needs of cancer patients, the establishment of the SCI was proposed by the previous UPA-II government in 2013 at SKIMS to replace its existing Regional Cancer Centre (RCC).

“In the next 15 days, the state share for the SCI will be released. The government is looking forward to starting SCI by April 1, 2019,” said Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam.

In the absence of a separate operation theatre and other facilities, the cancer patients at SKIMS are operated upon only two days in a week. “The delay in surgeries and absence of other facilities result into the death of cancer patients. SCI should be made functional immediately,” said Bilal Habib, an attendant of a patient.

Out of Rs 120 crore, officials say 30 per cent is meant for the construction of the building and 70 per cent for equipment. The Union Health Ministry, in February 2015, had released the first instalment of Rs 47.25 crore for SCI.

At 30 per cent funds, which become roughly Rs 36 crore, the SKIMS authorities constructed a six-storey building for the SCI, where the emphasis is laid on increasing the bed strength.

Lone said SKIMS was procuring high-end linear accelerator in the next two months. Also, an MRI, CT scan, and digital mammography machines would be added to the existing infrastructure of the RCC and shifted to the new centre, he said.

“The RCC has 80 beds and the number will be increased to 120 at the SCI,” he said.

Proposed in 2013

• The establishment of State Cancer Institute (SCI) was proposed by the previous UPA-II government in 2013 at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar to replace its existing Regional Cancer Centre 
• Officials say the state government has decided to release its share of funds for SCI, which is being constructed at a cost of Rs 120 crore
• In the absence of a separate operation theatre and other facilities, the cancer patients at SKIMS are operated upon only two days in a week