DAE to set up Cancer Institute in Meghalaya

Shillong, May 16 (UNI) The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has earmarked Rs 25 crore for setting up a cancer wing at the Shillong Civil hospital in Meghalaya.

''The work for the cancer wing will start in the next six months and within three years the hospital will have its own building equipped with state-of-the-art technology,'' Director of Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, Dr Rajiv Sarin told newspersons here yesterdayafter signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Meghalaya government.

During the signing of the MoU with the state government for setting-up the new cancer facility, the DAE was represented by Principal Secretary (Health) Anoop Srivastava.

Dr Sarin said the DAE and Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, will facilitate training for doctors, physicists and technicians and set up research facilities for detection of cancer and the factors responsible for the disease.

''Due to non-availability of facilities to treat cancer, several patients from the state have to go to Vellore and other cities outside the Northeast and that is why we want to set up the cancer wing in the hospital to help the people of Meghalaya and the NE as a whole,'' Dr Sarin said.

Earlier, Union Health Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss had announced that the Centre would set up a 100-bedded Regional Cancer Institute in the country's third Postgraduate Medical Institute - North East Indira Gandhi Regional Institute for Medical Sciences.

State Director of Health Services Dr K H Lakiang said the project would greatly benefit the cancer patients of the state.

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