By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 31: In what can be deemed a significant development for cancer care in Meghalaya, the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) at NEIGRIHMS has become operational, providing much-needed relief to patients.
Informing this, NEIGRIHMS Director, Dr. Nalin Mehta, said the facility is being operationalised in a phased manner.
He also informed that the lower floor of the state-of-the-art, 252-bed RCC is now functional, with key equipment like radiotherapy and linear accelerators in operation.
Other equipment is currently undergoing testing, he added.
Similarly, the Operation Theatres have been completed and recruitment for technicians, attendants and nurses is under way.
Making it clear that they want to operationalise the RCC in a phased manner, the NEIGRIHMS Director informed that before the cancer department moves to the new building, the main hospital will continue catering to cancer cases optimally.
With regard to manpower, Dr. Mehta acknowledged that while the situation could be better, the institute is managing adequately despite some staff moving to other institutions such as AIIMS Guwahati.
According to the NEIGRIHMS Director, an interview was also held recently for recruitment of faculty in Group A, B and other roles at the Regional Cancer Care.
It may be mentioned that the Regional Cancer Centre at NEIGRIHMS was inaugurated by Union Health Minister, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, in October last year.
The Union Health Minister had said that the new facilities at NEIGRIHMS would go on to provide much-needed healthcare services to the people of the Northeast region.
“The Central Government is committed to improving the health infrastructure in the Northeast region and to providing quality healthcare services to the people of the region,” he had said.