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One of the units of radiotherapy at the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (HBCHRC), Medicity, New Chandigarh (Mullanpur Garibdas), is all set to begin operations from July 1. It has a capacity of catering to 100 patients, approximately.
The services of the first phase of the hospital have started, however, it has not officially been inaugurated yet.
Services like radiology, radiotherapy and OPD have started in the hospital but the number of patients visiting the
hospital at present is limited to 20-30 on a daily basis.
A team of around 40 doctors have already arrived at the hospital and are holding camps in nearby villages to make people aware about cancer and its treatments. The camps also focus on detecting the early signs of cancer among people.
In the coming days the number of camps may be increased and more people would be monitored by the doctors.
The foundation stone was laid and the construction work of the hospital was inaugurated by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in December, 2013.
The work got delayed, was to be started in 2018, getting further delayed to 2021 and January,2022.
The hospital is spread in around 50 acres, which was allotted by the Punjab government to the Department of Atomic Energy to set up the hospital.
The Rs 400 crore hospital with a capacity of 300 beds is considered a boost for the North Indian states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh (HP), Haryana and UT Chandigarh.
A senior officer of the district administration said, requesting anonymity, that the project is under the Union government and while the first phase of the hospital has started, the new unit of radiotherapy will be inaugurated on July 1.
The Punjab government conceived Medicity project in the state to encourage medical tourism and the cancer hospital is considered as a vital part of the entire project.
The project was conceived after number of people were diagnosed with cancer in the state, especially in districts like Mansa, Bathinda and Faridkot.