The Director of Health Services has informed the Kerala State Human Rights Commission that ₹1 crore has been allocated for the development of a proposed cancer centre at Thengilakkadavu near Mavoor in Kozhikode district.
It was mentioned in a report submitted to commission judicial member K. Baijunath, a release said on Monday. The report said the estimate prepared by the Public Works Department had been approved. It followed a complaint filed by A.C. Francis, a native of Karaparamba in Kozhikode city.
A building and seven acres of land at Thengilakadavu were donated to the government around 15 years ago by a doctor to develop a full-fledged facility to treat cancer. However, no additional infrastructure was added to it all these years. Overgrown weeds greeted visitors at the place.
The Director of Health Services pointed out that the government had cleared the proposal to convert the cancer centre into a screening centre attached to the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode. A meeting convened by the District Collector also decided to keep the centre under the control of the medical college hospital. The director said a detailed project report prepared by the head of the department of radiology at the hospital had been submitted to the government. The Kozhikode district panchayat and the National Health Mission would be asked to appoint staff at the centre and submit project reports on related facilities required.