Imphal, July 26 2009: Inter ference from underground groups is said to have been hampering prompt execution of many development projects of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RLMS) with one of the hardest hit being the cancer treatment section/department.

According to Director (RIMS) Dr L Fimate, instal lation of the highly sophisticated Tele-Cobalt Ray machine in the Hospi tal's cancer centre is being delayed as there had been frequent interferences from armed outfits.

Speaking to some newspersons at RIMS Jubi lee Hall today, Prof Fimate conceded that patients are being denied the stated benefits from the latest cancer treatment machine owing to interference from armed ac tivists who are insisting upon certain shares in the contract work for construction of a building to install the ma chine.

Apart from procurement of the Tele Cobalt Ray ma chine, requisite fund for the construction purpose had al ready been sanctioned, with the only impediment being pressure from the UG groups, he claimed.

It has been informed that the said machine costing about Rs 2.34 crore, manu factured in Canada and imported/marketed by Kir-loskar Company, was deli vered to RIMS in June, 2008. Giving more inputs, the Director said the sophisti cated state of the art machine was the first of its kind in In dia when ordered/procured, and that interior design of the proposed building for instal lation of the machine was provided by experts of Mumbai-based Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in the form of a blueprint.

Describing the machine as patient-friendly with neg ligible side effect, he also disclosed that the building construction work was actu ally entrusted to a registered local contractor but the con struction remains at the foundation stage only inspite of the objective to complete the same in March, 2009. Prof Fimate further con fided that a team of Kirloskar Company officials arrived some days back to oversee the installation work but left with a cautionary remark that in case of defect, if any, ow ing to further delay, the Company should not be held responsible.

Saying we are helpless other than fervently appeal to the general public to contrib ute their mite in the progress of RIMS, with apparent ref erence to the interference, he also noted there had been alarming rise in the case of cancer in the North East re gion, including Manipur.

Prof Fimate also con veyed that taking into account the growing number of cancer cases in the region, the Union Health Ministry had approved relevant works in the Regional Cancer Cen tre, RIMS.

Highlighting achieve ments of the RIMS, he said a Nursing College and Dental College each of the Institute would be opened soon, in addition to RIMS all set to become one of seven centres where PG(MD) course in Transfusion Medicine could be pursued.

The Director further said RIMS is among six medical centres of the country which Tata Institute of Medical Sciences has selected for medical programmes concerning studies/research in HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis. Maintaining that an MoU had been signed with IGNOU regarding courses in medical science, he also said RIMS has chalked out a Rs 2.8 crore plan for construction of a dharmashala-like centre where patient parties/attendants could stay.

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