PANAJI: Health Minister Vishwajit Rane has informed that the government of Goa has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government of India to set up a regional cancer centre in the state.
“Today (Thursday) the state government signed the MoU with the central government to set up a regional cancer centre and the MoU has been sent by health secretary to the government of India for further processing. Around Rs 45 crore has been sanctioned for the same which also include the payments for the specialised staff who are required to run this centre,” said
Rane.
He informed that a three-member committee would be visiting Delhi next week to pursue the proposal so that the first installment could be released and the money could be given to Goa Infrastructure Development Corporation which is the nodal agency for the construction of the centre.
He said that the first fleet of 10 new ambulances with advanced life-saving equipment would be commissioned at the hands of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar after he returns back from the US.
He said that another five ambulances including one VVIP ambulance would be commissioned by the end of August. He said that government is also working on replacing fleet of old 15 ambulances with new ones under the Rural Health Mission.
Rane said, “The state will also launch fleet of 20 motorcycle ambulances in the first week of August. The two-wheeler ambulances will curtail the response time and will help reach the patients at the earliest saving more lives,” he added.