The High Court, on December 12, had directed PGI director to submit a report mentioning if its regional cancer centre was functioning satisfactorily and if there were any deficiencies. The court had asked the director to mention the nature of deficiencies and the need for augmentation and manpower.

The reply was filed today by Dr S C Sharma, professor and head, Department of Radiotherapy, Co-ordination Regional Cancer Centre, PGI.

The reply read: “There are always some deficiencies and corresponding requirements to have the ideal set up. There is a need for a dedicated medical oncology department.”

It further states that the equipment in the Department of Radiotherapy needs to be further augmented. The department is in urgent need of a High Energy Linear Acceleration to provide IGRT and whole body stereotactic radiosurgery for the treatment of cancer patients. This equipment will help provide all the latest radiotherapy techniques for the control of different cancers, the PGI has submitted.

“The Regional Cancer Centre needs to go to the community to have early detection and prevention of cancer and therefore does not have the set up and staff for the same at this stage. There is a need for manpower as well as the facilities for doing this job in the community,” read the reply.

It added: “There is a need for the augmentation of staff and equipment in radiotherapy and surgical oncology and for practice of medical oncology as well as palliative care.”