Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today said the nation still has long way to go in treating cancer, one of the worst diseases affecting people worldwide.
"Cancer is one of the worst diseases affecting the world. We still have a long way to go in the treatment of this disease," he said at a function while laying the foundation stone of a Cancer Centre at Chooloor, about 20 km from here.
Chandy laid the foundation stone for the Rs 400 crore advanced Cancer Hospital and Research facility there.
The chief minister said the state government would offer free generic medicines for those above 18 years of age and added that the government would speed up formalities to adopt Pariyaram Medical College, a co-operative medical college started by former Communist Marxist Party leader, the late M V Raghavan in Kannur.
Cancer and Allied Ailments Research Foundation, subsidiary of Calicut City Service Cooperative bank, has initiated the state-of-the-art cancer centre on a 15.5 acre site.
C N Vijayakrishnan, Chairman of CARE Foundation, said the centre will be developed as a world class research centre. Construction would be completed by June next year and the centre will become operational by January 2017, he said.
An amount of Rs 102 crore has been earmarked for the building and blocks of the 200 bed hospital while Rs 250 crore has been allotted for machinery and equipment, he added.
Kerala Minister for Co-operatives C N Balakrishnan laid the foundation stone for the radiation block, while Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty laid the foundation stone for the palliative block.
