The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved Rs. 150 crore for setting up of a super-specialty unit in Agartala Government Medical College, health minister Sudip Roybarman informed the assembly on February 27.

Making statement on a calling attention of ruling party MLA Kalyani Roy, he said, “Initially, the plan was initiated to introduce 11 super-specialty departments but later the plan was changed due to insufficient fund. Now, one super-specialty unit consisting seven departments will be started by next one year, which is expected to manage the present problems”.

According to Roy Barman, Ministry of Health has appointed CPWD and another construction agency for providing procurement support to the proposed project and added, “Departments include Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Urology, Medical Gastroenterology and Surgical Gastroenterology will be started in the unit, for which every year a large number of patients move out of the state.”

He however, mentioned that super-specialty block will have altogether 140 beds including 29 beds in ICU. Besides, there will be four Operation Theatres. The fund sharing of Centre and State will be as per 80:20 ratio. The construction of two new buildings at Agartala Regional Cancer Centre was at the final stage and all modern treatment facilities for cancer will be installed there.

"The incidences of cancer much higher in Tripura and oral cancer is highest in the country. We have decided to ensure national standard treatment of oncology here, which will reduce the outflow of patient from Tripura rather people from other states could get the treatment facilities here and the infrastructure is being created considering this aspect in mind," the minister said.

“Chemotherapy, Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology, necessary equipments, Private Cabin, ICU, four Operation Theatres, two Linear Accelerators, Radiation Oncology department, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging, MRI, Mammography, Digital X-ray, Ultra sonography and many other facilities for cancer patients will be available in the two new buildings,” he added.