Move to give free drugs to cancer patients: Chief Minister

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said that the government is considering a proposal to give medicines free of cost to cancer patients in the state.

Inaugurating the counselling centre, Jeevavani, set up by cancer survivors at the Malabar Cancer Care Society (MCCS) here on Saturday, the Chief Minister said that the joint efforts of the voluntary organisations and the healthcare professionals to check the onslaught of cancer were yielding results now.

A telemedicine system introduced by the MCCS with the support of the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, and the Sree Chitra Institute of Medical Sciences, Thiruvananthapuram, was also launched by the Chief Minister at the function.

The Chief Minister said that the government was planning to meet the recurring expenditure of the MCCS. He commended the services being rendered by MCCS in offering support to the hundreds of cancer patients in the Malabar region. Rural Development Minister K C Joseph inaugurated the Yuvavimukthi, a forum against tobacco, alcohol and drugs, floated by the MCCS.

K Sudhakaran MP presided over the function. MLAs, A P Abdullakutty and Sunny Joseph, former Health Minister P K Sreemathy, district panchayat president K A Sarala, Kannur municipal chairperson M C Sreeja, Dr Kumar Menon and ADM Suresh Joseph, offered felicitations. Dr K Ramdas, Medical Superintendent of RCC, Thiruvananthapuram, delivered the keynote address.

D Krishnanatha Pai, president of the MCCS, welcomed the gathering. N Ramachandran, secretary of the society, proposed a vote of thanks.