Bhoomipujan of Cancer Hospital in GMCH to be performed next week

Staff Reporter

The bhoomipujan of 100-bed cancer hospital under Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) is likely to be performed next week. All the administrative works are complete. The State Government has already sanctioned Rs 20 crore for the project, to be constructed in TB ward premises. Dr Raj Gajbhiye, Dean GMCH, confirmed the development. He told ‘The Hitavada’, “The project is being looked after by Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT). All things have been finalised for this Rs 76 crore project. The centre will be a G+2 building with all facilities needed to treat cancer patients.”

GMCH has already procured the main equipment -- Linear Accelerator -- worth Rs 23 crore to be used for treating the cancer patients. “The project was pending since long. With rising cases of cancer, and costly treatment, people from poor background were suffering a lot. The hospital in GMCH premises was much needed,” said Dr Gajbhiye.

Maharashtra Minister of Medical Education Girish Mahajan had already directed officials to construct the hospital as early as possible. MLC Pravin Datke pursued the matter consistently, along with ex-MLC Girish Vyas. The decision to construct the hospital was taken by the then Devendra Fadnavis Government. In fact, Fadnavis was very much keen to have the hospital so that poor and needy patients would get treatment free of cost. Department of Radiotherapy is functioning at the Government Medical College and Hospital, which provides some cancer treatment facilities. Though the new Cancer hospital is planned, the department would not be abandoned.

The department will be upgraded to have more facilities for cancer treatment, and administrative approval has also been given for the necessary construction. All the equipment will be purchased soon while in next one and a half years the construction work of the hospital would be completed. Dr Manoj Kumar Suryavanshi, Chairman, NIT, stated, “The project was given to NIT with responsibility. All the designs of the project are ready and we have decided to complete it within a year. By next week the bhoomipujan will be performed and the state-of-the-art building would be ready soon.”