President Mukherjee to visit Kidwai on December 23

 The President of India is visiting Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology in the City later this month. According to the sources, Pranab Mukherjee would make his maiden trip to the Institute on December 23. His visit will set the ball rolling for various upgradation works.

The Institute will be upgraded as State Cancer Institute at a cost of Rs 120 crore shared by the Centre and the State.

On his visit, the President of India would be laying foundation stone for a Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at the Institute campus. Speaking to Deccan Herald, Dr K B Linge Gowda, director, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology said that the unit would have a dedicated operation theater. “Rs 3 crore has been set aside for this unit alone,” he said.

Radiotherapy equipment

In an attempt to bring down the morbidity and mortality rates, radiotherapy equipment, including four linear accelerators and two CT simulators, have also been purchased, the director of the institute said.

Deccan Herald had earlier reported that, at present, the waiting period for those wanting to undergo radiotherapy is no less than a month. Dr Linge Gowda said that with the addition of these four linear accelerators, the waiting period would come down to a week. “This is on par with private hospitals. In any hospital, it takes a week as the check up and examination has to be completed,” he added.