Cancer Care to be available in 30 District Hospitals in Odisha
In another step forward towards quality health care, Govt has envisioned a game changing proposal for making available cancer care and follow up services in district hospitals. This has been deliberated in a high level meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Sri Gokul Chandra Pati today in secretariat conference hall.
Principal Secretary Health & Family Welfare Smt. Arati Ahuja outlined the issues for discussion and a national level medical oncologist Dr Dinesh Pendhakar along with Dr C.S. Tripathy made the presentation on various technical and clinical aspects of the proposal.
Considering the presentation, Chief Secretary Sri Pati said that there is a felt need in Odisha for such facilities at district hospitals and this would save the patients from various types of exploitations. Sri Pati has directed Health & Family Welfare department to work out a detail project report within shortest possible time for approval of the Govt.
Chief Secretary has also directed to constitute an expert committee to carry forward the proposal. AIMS, Bhubaneswar and Achrya Harihar Cancer Care Center, Cuttack have been asked to take the lead in this matter.
The presentation made by the experts show that cancer care can be decentralized. With appropriate training and arrangements, district hospitals can administer chemo. The doctors can also manage the post operation care and follow up for which the patient will not be required to run to specialized hospitals located at far off urban centers.
Experts also opined that since best quality medicines are available in the market, those can be procured by authorities through any mode as deemed proper for the State and people. The programme can be implemented through a partnership among the local district hospitals and tertiary cancer care hospitals and can be carried to people through community leaders and health workers.
The programme will be helpful in creating intensive awareness and prevention education on cancer, cancer screening at local level and early detection, timely referral to tertiary care centers for surgery and adjuvant treatment planning, post treatment surveillance, providing palliative care and other services.
Chief Secretary Sri Pati has advised to adopt a multi sectoral collaborative approach among Govt, Centers of excellence for cancer , pharmaceutical companies producing life saving medicines for cancer, medical officers, doctors placed at district hospitals and people’s representatives including the volunteers and health workers. The doctors and cancer experts can be brought together through whatsap and telemedicine systems for real time consultation and care.
Development Commissioner Sri U.N. Behera, Additional Chief Secretary Finance Sri R. Balakrishnan, Secretary Women & Child Welfare Sri Saswat Mishra, Director National Health Mission Smt Roopa Mishra along with senior officers from health department, doctors from AIIMS and Acharya Harihar Cancer CareCenter participated in deliberations.