The Adyar Cancer Institute (WIA), located in Chennai is one of the oldest and most reputed cancer treatment centres in the whole of India. On Wednesday, Dr Shanta, its Chairman put out a letter seeking financial support to help run the institute.
Committed to the care of cancer patients coming in from different parts of the country for over six decades, Dr V Shanta shares that the hospital is a voluntary charitable, non-government institution that survives mainly on hospital income and public contributions.
“We have no Government of India grant. We have a small State Government grant which constitutes hardly five percent of our total expenditure. Most of the donations were unsolicited. Now it has become increasingly difficult since donations are getting diverted to major groups like PM fund and CM fund,” she writes in an email to TNM.
While the Institute is free of cost for 30% of the patients and nominal for another 30%, only 40% of them pay for their treatment.
The nationwide lockdown, has taken its toll on the institute. The centre that has a bed-strength of 550 and annual turn over of 120,000 patients, did not have any bed occupancy in April and now in May, it fluctuates between 20 and 30. While out-patient attendance prior to the lockdown was between 350 to 400 on an average daily, now it is between 140 and 150.
Around the end of March and whole of April the institute remained unoccupied since three of its patients tested positive for COVID-19.
“Due to lock down, majority of the poor patients are not able to get to the centre. Many other patients went away home due to fear. We had only three patients who were positive and had to be sent to COVID treatment centres (GH). The Institute remained unoccupied for one week in March and whole of April,” adds Dr Shanta.
She continues, “Cancer and COVID cancer patients are already immuno-suppressed. They are more prone to get other infectious diseases especially one like the COVID infection. Many of them have co-morbid conditions already like diabetes, hyper tension, older age group etc. All of them are already in a panic because of cancer and the COVID pandemic has increased the state of fear.”
With reduced footfall, the Institute needs donations for routine administration, patient care and day-to-day maintenance of the institution.
“The institute has to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical and nursing staff. Drugs have to be purchased, which means, expenditure. Safety measures and precaution guidelines are in place. In view of high incidence of the infection in Chennai, there are many measures to be followed which increases our hospital expenditure,” Dr Shanta explains.
The institute currently has a staff strength of close to 1000 and with lockdown in place their transport to and from the institute also needs to be taken care of.
Stressing the need for cancer care, now more than ever, Dr Shantha, who has been a devoted to the cause for over 60 years, hopes for generous donations to be able to continue their services.
Bank details
Cancer Institute (WIA)
Andhra Bank
Madhya Kailash
SB A/C No: 149710011005477
IFSC: ANDB0001497
For more details please call R Rajashekar, General Manager (patient care and CSR) on 8754480553.