B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital
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| B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Chitwan, Nepal |
| Organisation | |
| Funding | Non-profit hospital |
| Type | Specialist / Teaching |
| History | |
| Opened | 29 December 1994 |
| Links | |
| Website | www |
| Lists | Hospitals in Nepal |
B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital (or BPKMCH) is a tertiary cancer hospital located in Bharatpur, Chitwan District, Nepal.[1] This specialized hospital is located outside the Kathmandu valley in Nepal.
The hospital is named in honor of Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala, the first democratically elected Prime Minister of Nepal. He served from 1959 to 1960 and died of throat cancer in 1982.[1]
The hospital is the first national cancer center of its kind in Nepal. It focuses on disease diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, prevention, and research. The other comprehensive cancer center is the Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital, located in the Kathmandu valley.
History
The hospital was founded by the government in 2005. In 1995 it began offering day services, and in 1999 began treating inpatients. The hospital was funded equally by China and Nepal, with China sending doctors and other personnel to help train staff for the new facility.[2][citation needed]
Services
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The hospital provides diagnostic, therapeutic and supportive services to cancer patients. The hospital has different departments to cater the services to the patients.
Medical Oncology Department
This department mainly deals with hematological malignancies like leukemia, lymphoma as well as for solid tumors. There is an inpatient ward of 25 beds for adults and 15 for pediatrics. The chemotherapy services are provided via daycare center for short and single day chemotherapy, and those needing further care are admitted and taken care of. Specialist nurses prepare the drugs in chemotherapy cabinet and deliver safely to the patients. Complications of chemotherapy are taken care by the dedicated neutropenic area in the ward.
Surgical Oncology Department
This department consists of different units: GI oncology, Breast, Urology, Neurosurgery, Thoracic oncology, Head and Neck, Gynecology and orthopedics. The respective team works in a multidisciplinary approach with their medical oncology and radiation oncology colleagues to provide the best possible care to their patients. This facility is a state of the art surgical facility in the country for cancer surgery. The examples of services to list among many are: sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancers, breast reconstructions and mammography guided needle localization biopsy in Breast Surgery; In GI surgery, three field lymphadenectomy for carcinoma esophagus, D2 dissection for cancer of stomach, low and very low anterior resections for rectal cancers to preserve anus, Abdominoperineal excision resection for advanced rectal cancers. In urology, endourological, laparoscopic and open surgeries are all available for suitable cases. Cystectomy and reconstruction of orthotopic neobladder are done in suitable candidates for urinary bladder cancers. Laparoscopic resections are done for renal tumors and suprarenal tumors.
The head and neck oncology team specialize in advanced composite resection and flap reconstructions of buccal mucosa, tongue and gingival cancers. They also provide conservative LASER surgeries to early stage laryngeal and buccal mucosal cancers. The gynecology oncology team focuses on radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection for early stage carcinoma of the uterine cervix; multi visceral resection in ovarian cancers are also performed when needed. The orthopedic unit deals with tumors of extremity with a multidisciplinary team approach to conserve the limbs of patients as far as possible.
Radiation Oncology Department
The department uses linear accelerators and eclipse planning systems for the treatment and planning of tumors they treat. Conventional to Intensity-modulated radiotherapy(IMRT) is delivered for the needing cancer patients. Brachytherapy service is also available.
Radiology Department
This is the state of the art diagnostic department well equipped with latest version 1.5 Tesla MRI, 64 slice CT scanners, Gamma imaging system, Bone Mineral Densitometry(DEXA) Scan, digital mammogram, ultrasound scanners. Ultrasound-guided biopsies, CT guided biopsy and planning are performed.
Pathology Department
The department is state of the art diagnostic department for cancer diagnosis as well for monitoring. This provides routine laboratory services like hematology and biochemistry. This lab measures tumor markers for diagnosis and monitoring of cancer. Routine Histopathology service with immune-histochemistry facility helps with accurate diagnosis. They also do flow cytometry and cytogenetics for diagnosis of hematological cancers.
The department of cancer prevention and research is also under the umbrella of hospital. This department conducts the cancer registry program, rural and in hospital cancer screening programs, and research programs in collaboration with different university and scientists home and abroad. A volunteer organization, Cancer Welfare Society, helps the patients who are financially deprived. The dietary unit helps patients with their food requirements.
The felt need of the hour was a competent establishment that would be able to fulfill the need of the Nepalis. In a country filled with poverty, illiteracy and a harsh topography and an almost negligible access to basic health facilities, this hospital is envisioned to close that gap. It is estimated that deaths due to cancer are approximated at 120 per 100,00. The assumption is that there are 35,000 to 40,000 cancer patients in the country at any given space of time. This institution provides services for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and some research on cancer and to gain self-reliance for human source required for the same.
References
- ^ "Bisweswar P. Koirala Dies; Ex-Prime Minister of Nepal". The Washington Post. 1982-07-22. p. C4. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
External links
