Bhubaneswar: To strengthen the chemotherapy needs of cancer patients in Odisha as well as in neighbouring states the Medical Oncology division of Medical Oncology/Haematology Department, AIIMS Bhubaneswar started its own dedicated day care services and OPD from Monday. AIIMS Bhubaneswar director Prof. Mukesh Tripathi inaugurated the facilities in the G block of the main building. On this occasion director Dr. Tripathi reiterated the commitment of AIIMS Bhubaneswar to serve the cancer patients with more vigour and dedication. This day care and OPD services of Medical Oncology division at AIIMS will certainly help the cancer patients requiring chemotherapy, said Dr. Tripathi.
AIIMS Bhubaneswar Medical Superintendent Dr. Sachidananda Mohanty gracing the occasion congratulated the faculties and encouraged them. Among others HOD Medical Oncology/Haematology Department Dr. Prabodh Das, JMS Dr. J S Pillai, Associate Professor Dr Sourav kumar Mishra and Assistant Professor Dr Ilavarasi Vanidassane of Medical Oncology Division were also present on the occasion.
Before this Medical oncology division was conducting simultaneous OPDs and daycare with the Haematology department. There was however a huge need for a separate day car space because of the large number of patients combinedly seen by these divisions. Last month itself there were 160 new OPD registrations and 446 OPD consultations for medical oncology only. During this period there were 105 days chemotherapies also undertaken, said Dr. Sourav Mishra of Medical Oncology.
The Medical oncology division at AIIMS is the first dedicated medical oncology unit in the government sector in Odisha after the AHRCC at Cuttack. This unit caters to the chemotherapy needs of cancer patients not only form Odisha but also from nearby states. Two new medical oncology faculties Dr Sourav kumar Mishra and Dr Ilavarasi Vanidassane have joined and started the medical oncology services at AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
In the future the department plans to start the course of DM in medical oncology. For now, the cancer patients seeking opinion from medical oncology can do direct registration in the G block. This will be a great help for the cancer patients who need not to wait in long queues for their consultation. The department will do OPDs on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the day care services will run on all week days.