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Controversies plague cancer centre

PATHANAMTHITTA: The District Cancer Care Centre attached to District Cancer Care Society at Kozhencherry has of late being facing allegations of irregularities.

The Health Department set up the centre with technical assistance from the Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, in October 1999. The centre offers cancer care on a par with RCC, except radiation therapy. It also houses a well-equipped laboratory and a palliative care unit. RCC refers its patients in Central Travancore to this centre for follow-up.

Local MLA and society member K. Sivadasan Nair alleged that DCCC was not catering to the palliative care needs of the below poverty line (BPL) category. Mr. Nair also claimed that the centre was not following rules, though it functioned on the District Hospital premises and availed facilities of the State Health machinery. The MLA’s other charges were nepotism in postings made by the society and corrupt practices by certain authorities of the centre.

In response, the centre’s director K.G. Sasidharan Pillai said the society could inquire into these charges. He added that short supply of chemicals and reagents for laboratory and shortage of equipment like Ayres Spatula, needed for cervical smear examination, had affected the smooth functioning of the centre. The society is yet to invite quotations for buying chemicals, reagents and drugs, necessitating their purchase from the open market, he alleged.

Mr. Pillai said the financial powers and appointing authority had been vested with the District Collector, who is also the society chairman, and the District Hospital Superintendent who is the society secretary.

Aranmula MLA K.C. Rajagopalan alleged that the Collector’s “reluctance to take up responsibility” was the root cause of the centre’s problems.

District Collector Raju Narayanaswamy clarified that the steps he had taken were in the larger interests of improving the DCCC functioning so that the poorer sections of the society could avail the expensive palliative care facility free of cost.

Mr. Narayanaswamy said a sub-committee comprising Additional District Magistrate, District Medical Officer and Financial Officer, has detected irregularities in the DCCC functioning.

The committee also found irregularities in certain appointments made by the society, he said.

He said his intention was to ensure a transparent, people-friendly and corruption-free functioning of the centre.

He said the society would also consider amendment of its bylaw in such a way that experts were given adequate representation in the general body.

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