New Cancer Hospital for Jammu Opening in May

By Fayaz Wani

Srinagar, Jan 28: The violence hit Kashmir region will soon have the first cancer hospital. The hospital is likely to start functioning from May this year.

Cancer cases are on the rise in Kashmir and there has been a consistent demand from people for setting up a cancer hospital in the violence hit region.

The 700-bed hospital would be constructed by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence at Katra in Jammu province of the violence hit Kashmir. The first phase of Rs 100 crores mega Cancer Hospital is likely to be completed in May this year.

The overall hospital project will cost Rs 250 crores without funding from the government or any other institution. Its first phase will have 200 beds and function as a cancer institute. In the second phase, 500 beds would be added in order to have multi-disciplinary faculties and school for nursing and paramedics.

Initially a cancer hospital of 200 beds with facilities for comprehensive multi-specialty care, with special emphasis on preventive oncology and hospice care will be built. This facility will be developed into a high tech Institute of Medical Excellence of 700 beds and 10 lakh square feet of area in due course of time offering all other super-specialty care.

Besides the most modern allopathic treatment being offered, he added that the hospital will make efforts to educate the general public in the catchment area about the causation of cancer and general health awareness.

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.

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