Bathinda: Barely functional, advanced cancer institute finally gets 19 specialist doctors

Bathinda: After more than three years of its inception, the Advanced Cancer Institute at Bathinda will finally be able to provide affordable treatment. The Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), which is controlling authority of the institute, has given appointment letters to 19 specialist doctors, including for the director of the institute. The newly-appointed specialists are expected to join early next month.

The institute is the only hospital in Malwa region providing affordable cancer treatment. Due to staff crunch, patients continue to go to Acharya Tulsi Regional Cancer Treatment Institute at Bikaner in Rajasthan. The train from Bathinda to Bikaner still carries the tag of being “cancer train”.

The 100-bed cancer institute has a sanctioned strength of 50-member faculty. On an average not more than 10 specialist doctors remained posted here. The institute, initially named as Advanced Cancer Diagnostics Treatment and Research Centre (ACDTRC), had come up at the cost of Rs 115 crore and started functioning on July 7, 2016.

The centre gets nearly 80-100 outpatients in routine in the out patient department (OPD) and nearly 40 beds are occupied by indoor patients. In a meeting of the BFUHS board of management (BOM) in July 2018, the university was given go ahead to fill 45 posts after insistence of Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal. Till now, these could not be filled and only now 19 appointments have been made.

Malwa region of Punjab has exceptionally high cancer incidence. A survey carried out by state health department in 2013 found that more than 33,000 persons had died of cancer in five years and 24,000 persons more were suffering from the disease. It also came out that 85,000 persons were identified having cancer like symptoms. No extensive survey was conducted thereafter.

Holding additional charge of director, Dr Deepak Arora, said at present institute had six consultants and five resident doctors. With appointment of more specialists, the institute could starting functioning better.

BFUHS vice-chancellor Raj Bahadur told TOI, “19 specialised doctors from various disciples of cancer have been appointed. As they have been selected from various institutes, they need some time to be relieved from parent institutes and are expected to join early next month. Dr Rakesh Kapoor from PGIMER Chandigarh has been appointed as the institute’s director. The process to appoint more doctors and paramedical staff will soon be put in motion.”