CM Vijayan inaugurates new multi-storey building at Thiruvananthapuram RCC

The Kerala government has strengthened cancer treatment facilities at the RCC here with the addition of advanced medical technology and a new multi-storey building, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday. Inaugurating the new building, the chief minister said the state had made timely interventions to ensure that patients receive modern and affordable cancer care. He said the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) now has several advanced systems, including the public sector's first robotic surgery unit, HIPEC treatment, surface-guided radiation therapy, PET-CT scanning and modern brachytherapy for prostate cancer. RCC, one of the most important cancer treatment centres in Kerala, treats around 2.5 lakh patients every year from across the state. ''Given the number of patients who depend on this centre, upgrading facilities was essential,'' Vijayan said. The new building, constructed at a cost of Rs 242 crore, has a total area of over 3.3 lakh square feet. It houses radiotherapy and nuclear medicine units, a bone marrow transplant centre, operation theatres, intensive care units, leukemia wards, a blood bank and microbiology laboratories. An additional 200 beds have been added to the existing capacity. The building also includes two levels of parking and will operate using solar energy while following green protocols. The chief minister said the government has also allotted about 12 acres of land at Pulayanarkotta for a second RCC campus, where future expansion and related facilities will be developed. Health Minister Veena George, who presided over the event, said the day marked an important chapter in RCC's history. She said cancer is not just a medical condition but also a mental and financial burden on families. More than 70,000 new cancer cases are reported in Kerala every year, she said. Under the Aardram Mission, the government has made cancer prevention a priority by launching statewide screening programmes. So far, about 22 lakh people have been screened. George said treatment facilities at RCC have expanded significantly in recent years. The number of cancer beds has doubled, robotic surgeries have been introduced, and costly procedures that normally run into several lakhs of rupees are being provided free or at subsidised rates in government hospitals. ''No one should be left helpless when it comes to cancer treatment,'' the minister said. Education Minister V Sivankutty, several legislators, health officials and senior doctors attended the function.