State govt blamed for delay in setting up cancer centre

Nellore: Dr H Dattatreya, Convener of the Cancer Hospital Sadhana Samithi, demanded the state government to recruit physicist, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and also supporting staff for the proposed tertiary cancer care centre on the premises of the Government Medical College in Nellore.

Interacting with the media at Dr Jetti Sesha Reddy Vignana Kendram here on Friday, Dattatreya said that the Central government had allocated tertiary cancer care centre on the premises of the Government Medical College at a cost of Rs 45 crore.

“A team of officials from the Centre had inspected the land at Government Medical College during June 2016. But, the government had not submitted the layout to the Union government.

Meanwhile, the state government had transferred Associate Professor Dr P Srinivas, who had played a key role in bringing the cancer care centre to Nellore,” said Dr Dattatreya. He demanded that the state government must take measures to construct the Centre in Nellore on war foot basis. 

Cancer Hospital Sadhana Samithi is going to launch a protest in front of the Collectorate demanding to take measures for the construction of cancer care centre, warned Dattatreya. 

He also appealed to the legislators and people from other walks of life to come forward for mounting pressure on the state government to construct the much-needed cancer unit. He also alleged that though the Central government had allocated funds, the state government had wilfully neglected to submit the MoU.

He also said that they would bring the issue to the notice of the Vice-President of India M Venkaiah Naidu for taking necessary measures to construct the centre. “Rumours are doing rounds that cancer centre is being shifted to Visakhapatnam. But, there are no such signs to the best of our knowledge,” said the Convener of Sadhana Samithi. Dr K Srinu Naik, Dr Sudheer and other Samithi members were present.