Free stay for cancer patients' kin
Union minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated 165 dormitory blocks in the city.
Mumbai: Union minister of shipping, road, transport and highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday inaugurated 165 dormitory blocks allotted by the Mumbai Port Trust (MPT), which had given three dilapidated buildings to Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH). The buildings were modified in order to offer free accommodation, weekly rations and a space for parents staying with children suffering from cancer and receiving treatment at TMH to cook their meals.
Earlier, these families were staying on footpaths near TMH and were loitering around pavements near TMH, as they had no accommodation. The criteria for the stay in these dormitory blocks are for paediatric patients who are in need of urgent care. Based on parameters like urgency, there is a waiting list.
Mr Gadkari said, “Currently three buildings were allocated, now I want to contribute more and a new route towards (Cotton Green) station would be made, especially for patients and for their kin, so that commuting won’t be a problem for them.”
“People come from different parts of the country in the city for pediatric cancer treatment. Looking at this situation such a stay will be helpful for them to provide great support (to the patient),” said Mr Gadkari.
Dr Rajendra Badwe, director, Tata Memorial Centre, said, “Every year, 55,000 new cancer cases among children are registered in India and last year, over 2,000 children aged below age 18 were treated for cancer at TMC.”
“The dormitory is specially designed for pediatric patients. As their treatment tenure is from six months to one year, many a time unavailability of stay is the reason for dropouts in treatments of kids suffering from cancer,” he said.
The MPT initiated this project on July 23, 2015, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Oncologists say childhood cancers are highly curable, so the availability of accommodation is critical in offering a physical living space and the emotional support it provides, to ensure that families do not let circumstances pull a child out of treatment midway.