KOCHI: Justice VR  Krishna Iyer Movement has written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Health Minister KK Shailaja seeking their intervention for facilitating cooperation between the Cochin Cancer Research Centre (CCRC) and Ernakulam General Hospital for offering radiation treatment to patients of CCRC at the government hospital.

Though radiation therapy is an important modality of treatment for cancer patients, there is no facility for radiation treatment at CCRC, and the patients are referred to Thiruvananthapuram Regional Cancer Centre or private hospitals. Ernakulam General Hospital is well equipped with modern radiotherapy machines, including linear accelerator.

CCRC has two doctors specialised in radiation treatment.  They are on deputation from health services and one of them is from Ernakulam General Hospital, Dr N K Sanilkumar, who leads the Justice VR Krishna Iyer Movement, stated the letter.

The out-patient wing and chemotherapy facilities were started at CCRC three years ago. Inpatient treatment and major surgeries are about to begin. Doctors of CCRC are specialised in radiation treatment and can coordinate the treatment, the letter stated.

Availability of all modalities of treatment like chemotherapy, surgery and radiation will be of immense help to patients who seek treatment at CCRC,  the letter said.