GUWAHATI: In order to help cancer patients with a hand-holding approach, the Education Research Development Foundation (ERDF), Guwahati has opened a Patients’ Help Desk at Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI) here today to felicitate patients’ counseling, navigation and guidance at the Dr BBCI premises, help in cancer screening camps as well as patients’ interaction in OPD along with consultants. A MoU was also signed today between BBCI and University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM) for the promotion of cancer research and allied actions.
Inaugurating the Patients’ Help Desk, Dr A C Kataki, Director, Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute said, “Collaboration is very important for developmental work and this is a unique example of collaboration between a public sector institution and a private sector institution. On the occasion of the signing of the MoU, Dr Kataki said that apart from academic and research collaboration with USTM, BBCI would also guide USTM students for demographic follow up of the patients.
Speaking on the occasion, M Hoque, Chancellor, USTM and Chairman ERDF said, “Cancer patients who come from far flung areas for treatment find themselves at a loss in the first few days regarding whom to meet, where to go, what to do and so many other things. Keeping this in mind, USTM has taken the initiative to open this Patients’ Help Desk at BBCI. Everyday groups of MSW students from the Department of Social Work, USTM will be available at the Help Desk for service”.
The MoU was signed by Dr RK Sharma, Vice Chancellor, USTM and Dr A C Kataki, Director, BBCI. Others who spoke on the occasion include, Dr M Bhattacharyya, Principal Coordinator, BBCI Academia and Dr BB Borthakur, Medical Superintendent, BBCI.
As per the MoU, the Bio-Technology Department of USTM and the Research division of BBCI will be working together for the promotion of academic research. Further, the MoU intends is to create a framework for collaboration between USTM and BBCI with the objectives of establishing close linkage and functional coordination between USTM and BBCI, to establish a Patients’ Help Desk at BBCI premises to facilitate patients and to assist in implementing various projects under BBCI. Another purpose is to consider the qualified scientists, scholars and management professionals of BBCI as an accredited faculty/guide for different research, teaching or management programmes of USTM. Facilities to a limited number of BA & MA students of USTM will be provided by BCCI for Internship and short duration summer/winter training programmes.
Moreover, specialized and short duration refresher courses, training programmes and project management courses on topics of interest to the Government/Industry/Academia would be jointly offered at USTM or BBCI. Students and faculty of USTM would be able to conduct various academic activities under the guidance of supervising experts at BBCI. The cancer institute would extend necessary facilities and resource persons to organize talks/ awareness programmes within or outside the USTM premises from time to time as part of their outreach initiatives. Both the institutions will extend their library facilities to the faculty members, research scholars and students in accordance with the rules and regulations that govern the functioning of their respective libraries.
Apart from the academic, management and research work, USTM and BBCI shall collaborate regarding dissemination and updating knowledge of research work being carried out in North East through technical activities such as seminars, symposia, workshops, publication of papers, conventions, conferences at various levels, social issues and awareness programmes, recognition and rewards to individual achievements in awareness, technology and entrepreneurship, visiting faculties, industry visits.