NAHARLAGUN, Dec 19: Records show that, besides the patients undergoing treatment at the Tomo Riba Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (TRIHMS) here, the number of new cancer patients has been increasing at the rate of 1000 every year in the state.
The alarming statistics was presented by TRIHMS’ Director Dr Moji Jini during the 4th governing council meeting of the TRIHMS, which was chaired by Chief Minister Pema Khandu here on Thursday.
All those present at the meeting agreed on the urgent need for carrying out research and treating cancer by establishing the latest facilities at the TRIHMS, besides creating awareness among the citizens.
Khandu conjectured that the number of new cancer patients every year “would be more than 1000, as many would have gone outside the state for diagnosis and treatment and are not reflected in the records.”
It was also decided during the meeting to constitute an engineering task force (ETF) to approve, monitor and certify all infrastructure projects of the TRIHMS henceforth.
The decision came in view of several ongoing projects at the institute being halted or slowed down due to various reasons, including delay in approval of work by the committee which had been constituted earlier for the purpose.
It was proposed that the planning & design CE heads the ETF.
Of the various infrastructure coming up at the TRIHMS, it was informed that the hospital’s Block 2 is 70 percent complete. Upon completion, it will become a 500-bedded hospital and also house 12 operation theatres, a 25-30-bedded ICU, a CCU, and an NICU, besides 50 pay cabins and several other facilities.
Work on 70 percent of the academic block is also complete, while the process is underway to acquire a private building to house at least 250 students.
Dr Jini informed that the first batch of 50 students “are all into their second-year MBBS,” and that preparations are on to induct new students for the second batch next year.
He informed that as per the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI) guidelines, the college cannot increase its student intake capacity until it has completed four academic years. “However, the college authorities have approached the new National Medical Commission (which has replaced the MCI) to allow the TRIHMS to increase its student intake capacity from the next session,” Dr Jini said, adding that “the college is fully capable to take in 100 to 200 students per session.”
He meanwhile stressed on the need to establish “a PMR, radiotherapy and cancer wing, and an emergency and trauma centre, besides procuring equipment like MRI, etc.”
“The TRIHMS is equipped with a state-of-the-art blood component separation unit and an echocardiograph machine, along with a cardiology department and ICU and CCU. Top-end Siemens CT scan machine has been installed in the hospital,” he said.
The council members also discussed the issues being faced by the college, such as manpower shortage, “non-evacuation of college land by a few offices and individuals,” the slow progress of construction work, etc.
It was decided to take up urgently the matter of establishing the girls’ hostel, a hostel for interns/resident doctors, a nurses’ hostel, accommodation facilities for faculty members and non-teaching staff, and an auditorium at the institute. (CM’s PR Cell)
