Centre approves transfer of forest land for Cancer Hospital in Haldwani
By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 12 Sep: The Union Government has given in principle approval to the expansion of the Swami Ram Cancer Hospital in Haldwani. This hospital will now be developed as the State Cancer Institute with modern facilities. The Union Ministry of Forest and Environment has given permission to cut 44 trees to allow for the expansion of the Cancer Hospital in Haldwani. State Health Secretary Dr R Rajesh Kumar today shared that, after the construction of this hospital, cancer patients will get complete cancer tests done there locally and will be provided excellent treatment. They will not have to go to other states for cancer treatment.
Dr Kumar said that a project of Rs 103.65 crores was approved for the establishment of State Cancer Institute in Haldwani. In comparison to which, Rs 69 crores was released to the state government in the year 2021. A total of 152 posts have been sanctioned for the hospital so far by the state government but another proposal for approval of 255 other very essential posts has also been submitted to the government for its approval.
Kumar claimed that as a result of the tireless efforts of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Health Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat, land acquisition and other formalities have been completed to start the construction of the first phase of the State Cancer Institute in Haldwani. He shared that the construction work of the hospital will be done in two phases. In the first phase, the construction work of the ward block and service block will start soon. The process of purchasing high-level state-of-the-art machines of the hospital is also underway, he added.
He also shared that, in the second phase, a Diagnostic Block, Nuclear Medicine Block Preventive Oncology, and other specialty and super specialty departments will be established. With this, all necessary blood tests etc will be possible to be done at one place. There will be 31 departments here including Nuclear Medicine Department, machines like CT simulators, etc., will also be installed for the therapy of cancer patients. CT scan, MRI, ultrasound, etc., and other modern tests will also be done in the radiology department. There will also be a blood bank, pathology lab, microbiology, biochemistry lab in the diagnostic block. He shared that this proposed State Cancer Institute will be a 196 bedded hospital to begin with. Along with this, a night shelter with 141 beds will also be built for the patients and their attendants to stay for long-term treatment.
It is pertinent to point out here that the Union Government had approved the regularisation of the campus built in 1.75 hectares of forest land in Haldwani and its affiliation with the Government Medical College, Haldwani in the year 2022. Under the first phase of construction works, an appeal was made to the Central Government for permission to fell 44 trees existing in the layout for the construction of new wards and new service blocks. The Union Forest and Environment Ministry have approved the felling of 44 trees.
