The number of cancer patients in Kolkata hospitals is increasing. Especially in SSKM, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute ( CNCI ), a large number of cancer patients come for treatment from different parts of the state every day. Most of these patients are from economically weaker sections. Their families cannot afford to keep them in Kolkata and get them treated. Whereas it is not possible for them to come here from such a distance every day. In such a situation, they are forced to spend the day on the floor or footpath outside the hospital. INTAS Foundation felt their pain. This foundation emerged as a messiah for cancer patients. In Kolkata , INTAS Foundation has been running a transit home in Mudiali since 2022. ‘Apna Ghar’ run by the foundation is working tirelessly to provide completely free accommodation and medical services to poor cancer patients. This initiative of the foundation has brought great relief to the poor patients.
Oli Rani Sarkar, a resident of Raiganj in North Dinajpur district, has returned home after treatment. Her son Bhaskar said, ‘When I brought my mother to CNCI in Kolkata , there was no accommodation here. For many days I had to spend the night on the footpath. Then ‘Apna Ghar’ gave me a place to stay. This is where I got my mother treated. Many thanks to ‘Apna Ghar’. Meanwhile, another cancer patient named Chandan Sarkar says, ‘I have been coming to ‘Apna Ghar’ for more than a year. All the services here are available completely free of cost. I was taken good care of here. I am very happy.’ Sayani Roy, Project Associate of Mudiyali Transit Home, said, ‘We often visit various government hospitals in the city. There we identify people who are very poor. After that we bring them to ‘Apna Ghar’. Our work becomes meaningful when the patient recovers and goes home after treatment here.’ ‘Our sole aim is to take care of the patients. Counselling of patients and their family members is done from time to time to keep them mentally healthy. Also, various festivals and events are celebrated at home so that the patients remain cheerful.’
Pampa Gayen, counsellor of Mudiyali Transit Home, said, apart from Kolkata , Intas Foundation also provides these special services in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cuttack, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Imphal, Jaipur, Kochi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Rajkot, Ranchi, Surat. The foundation has two transit homes in Kolkata . One in Mudiyali and the other in Salt Lake. Mudiyali Transit Home has accommodation for a total of 22 cancer patients. Counselor Saima Mukhtar said, patients are given nutritious food three times a day in the transit home. Apart from this, patients are transported to the hospital where they are undergoing treatment in a special vehicle.”
