Cancer hospital a boon to north Andhra : TSR

Rajya Sabha member Dr T Subbarami A has said that the cancer hospital sanctioned by the Union Cabinet would be a great boon not only to the people of north Andhra but also cater to the patients of Odisha andA Chhattisgarh.

Dr Reddy, who launched several health schemes for the city and the rural surroundings, said that the cancer hospital was a great achievement on his part. "Several States tried to get this hospital, but as chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests, I could prevail over Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and got the sanction of Rs 400 crore," he told this correspondent.

The 100-bed hospital, which would come at Aganpudi, close to the Steel Plant, would be monitored by Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai. Tata Memorial Centre, a grant-in-aid institution working under the Department of Atomic Energy, is headed by Dr Reddy as its chairman.

"I was perturbed by the growing cancer disease in north Andhra and decided to establish a superspeciality hospital to serve the poor with the help of Central government. 'Bhoomi Puja' will be performed soon after completion of finalising the drawings and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself will lay the stone for the hospital in a couple of months," he added.

Apart from the proposed cancer hospital, Mr Subbarami Reddy said he was responsible in raising Rs 78 crore from Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for constructing a superspeciality oncology ward in King George Hospital (KGH) for which foundation-stone was laid recently.

The Rajya Sabha member, with a missionary zeal, launched several health schemes under the banner of TSR-Visakha Medical and Health Services Forum. Under the forum, it was aimed to conduct free medical camps for over six lakh people all over the Parliamentary constituency. Already, three lakh patients have been covered and medicines were given free of cost to them.

Similarly, the forum has been conducting free eye camps with a target of covering three lakh patients. Spectacles and medicines were being given free of cost. Eye camp under 'Yuva Drishti' was also launched for students. Around 4,000 students were covered under this programme, which was conducted at Dr VS Krishna Government College and Government Women's College recently. "We are also planning to conduct free gyenic camps for women and senior citizens. Occasionally, mega health camps would be held," he added.