Kolkata:
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda on Friday visited the Newtown campus of the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI) and reviewed the progress of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Kalyani, as part of his two-day tour of West Bengal. He was accompanied by Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar during the visit.
Praise for CNCI’s Clinical Standards
At CNCI’s Newtown campus, Nadda inspected hospital wards and facilities and expressed satisfaction with the quality of medical services being delivered. Addressing doctors and senior officials, he commended CNCI for becoming the first government cancer hospital in the country to receive National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) certification.
Accreditation and Research Milestones
The Union Minister also highlighted that CNCI is the only government hospital in West Bengal with National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accreditation across all its laboratory departments. He lauded the institute’s progress in research and innovation, noting its expanding role as a major hub for oncology education and capacity building in the country.
AIIMS Kalyani Facilities Inaugurated
During his visit to AIIMS Kalyani, Nadda reviewed the functioning and expansion of healthcare services and inaugurated several advanced facilities. These included fully operational Trauma and Emergency Services and modern radiotherapy infrastructure such as a Linear Accelerator (LINAC), High Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy and a CT-Simulator, aimed at strengthening tertiary care and comprehensive cancer treatment in the region.
Review Meeting and Political Remarks
Nadda also inaugurated a Pneumatic Tube System at AIIMS Kalyani to improve hospital efficiency through rapid transport of critical samples and chaired a review meeting on clinical services and future planning. Reaffirming the Centre’s commitment to accessible and affordable healthcare, he later criticised the Mamata Banerjee-led state government, alleging lapses in healthcare delivery and stating that the non-implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme had deprived the poor of essential medical care.
