Chennai: In an attempt to provide care and quality life for elderly patients suffering from life threatening diseases, a pain and palliative care unit was inaugurated at Government Royapettah Hospital by State Health Minister Vijaya Baskar at the cost of Rs 15 lakh with eight beds Wednesday.
An official press release stated, “The centre would have waiting area, consultation room and treatment room among others. Onclologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, rehabilitation experts and special nurses have been employed to treat elderly patients.”
The objective behind having a separate centre is to oblige and understand the illnesses like cancer, paralysed, mental illness and heart occuring to patients. In the first phase, the centre was inaugurated in several places including Cuddalore, Dindigul, Thiruvallur and Krishnagiri. It was later expanded to the hospitals in Kanchipuram, Coimbatore, Villupuram and other districts in the state, the release said.
In order to ensure that the radiation does not impact other organs, linear accelerator will be utilised for cancer treatment. With the aid of Mumbai Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), radiation therapy centre would be established at a cost of Rs 210 crore at 10 centres including Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), Kanchipuram Government Arignar Anna Cancer Hospital, Madurai Rajaji Hospital and Government Royapettah Hospital among others and cobalt therapy at 14 centres.
Speaking to reporters after the inauguration, Vijayabaskar, in response to reports on water scarcity affecting the government hospitals, stated the needs are being managed.