Maha: Chemotherapy centre remains non-functional months after inauguration

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A government-run 10-bed chemotherapy centre in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar has remained non-functional since its inauguration due to the unavailability of staff and medicines, an official said on Wednesday.

The 10-bed facility, set up for the benefit of cancer patients, was launched in February at the civic hospital in the city, he said.

"Unavailability of trained manpower and necessary medicines is the reason behind it. We need a physician, two nurses, one counsellor and a multipurpose worker to run the centre. We have deployed two nurses for the centre so far. We are yet to get the budgetary guidelines for the same," the official said, news agency PTI reported.

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When asked about the constraints in running the centre, Acting Civil Surgeon Dr Jitendra Dongre said that they would get the required staff and send them for training to run the centre.

"We are following up on the matter (staff). Medicines will also be ordered soon," said Dongre, reports PTI.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Maharashtra Public Health Department has initiated an inquiry into allegations of irregularities related to a Rs 62-crore tender process for cold chain equipment intended for the storage of vaccines, according to a government official. Following a request from the Union government last week, the department has been tasked with conducting a thorough investigation and submitting a report on the alleged irregularities, he said.

This latest inquiry marks the second probe ordered by the health department within just one week. Previously, the department instructed the Maharashtra Medical Goods Procurement Authority (MMGPA) to investigate alleged irregularities related to a Rs 56-crore tender for medical equipment procurement.

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