West Bengal is all set to have its first state-of-art cancer hospital in the city by the end of February next year. The second campus of the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI) run by the union health ministry is nearing completion within four months. The existing first campus of the CNCI accommodating 207 beds is located at Hazra in the southern part of the city. Sources in the state BJP unit said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi might inaugurate the New Town campus of the CNCI.

Dr Harshvardhan, union health minister, might also attend the inaugural programme of the institute, the sources added. “I can’t say anything about the presence of the Prime Minister and union health minister in the programme. We are targeting either February or March next year to start patient care services in the second campus at New Town,” said Dr Joyanto Chakraborty, director of the CNCI. “Civil construction work of the project has already been completed and we are now getting prepared for procurement of medical equipment and other facilities required for modern hi-tech treatment for cancer patients.

A Noidabased agency is looking after the procurement work under the monitoring of the health ministry,” Dr Chakraborty added. According to an official of the ministry, around 600 human resource strength including experts in different fields of oncology, junior doctors, skilled nurses and technicians and non-medical will be required for the CNCI II project. “The process for recruitment of the HR strength will start soon through advertisements in the media. The second campus with 460 indoor beds will provide all kinds of cancer treatment facilities to the patients. In the first phase, services in the outdoor patients’ department (OPD) clinics and chemotherapy unit will start,” sources said requesting anonymity.

A seven-storied building has already come up on 10 acres of land at New Town. Dr Chakraborty said that the Centre is funding the entire cost of around Rs 600 crore for the entire project to start with 460 beds in the first phase. It took more than 12 years to complete the construction of the project owing to the delay in sanctioning funds by the Central government. In 2014, the former union health minister Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad in the UPA II cabinet had assured to provide funds to go ahead with the project. Some city oncologists felt that the new campus would improve the cancer care facilities in the eastern India at a time when the fatal disease is posing a serious threat across the country.