NCC in demand of new building
Doctors at the National Cancer Center called attention to the deteriorating building of the hospital, which was hit by a flood two weeks ago.
Flood water leaked to the basement and damaged expensive chemotherapy machines used for cancer treatment. Doctors underlined that they have high work load as they provide healthcare services to thousands of people each day. Despite the difficult working condition, the hospital has neither updated its medical equipment nor increased their staffing, according to doctors.
The National Cancer Center recently expanded its building constructed in 1983 but the expansion is not up to standards, according to complaints by doctors and staff issued to Deputy Minister of Health L.Byambasuren during a meeting on August 3.
“Each day, 133 patients wait to be operated. In the old building with four surgery rooms, surgeons performed 2,590 surgeries a week,” said M.Battuvshin, the head of the Medical Assistance Department. “Two units for performing surgeries for liver, stomach and pancreas were planned as part of the expansion but a section of the building cracked, causing leakage from the roof of B section building. The inside and outside of the wall is completely soaked.”
Director of J.Chinburen stressed the significance of chemotherapy for cancer treatment and said, “The workload of the cancer department would reduce and improve the quality of treatments if two chemotherapy machines are installed at the expansion. However, the expansion does not meet building standards.”
Inspectors from the General Agency of Specialized Inspection oversaw the expansion of the National Cancer Center to determine if the new building complies with related standards and requirements. The result hasn’t been presented to the hospital yet. Doctors informed that they didn’t have a professional specialized in hospital buildings when drafting blueprints for the expansion. According to a staff, the sewer line in the basement was installed “too low”, making toilets inoperative.
Deputy Minister L.Byambasuren stated, “The National Cancer Center needs another building. This requires funds. Even if the government resolves the finances, it’ll require time. However, there is a 12-storey building for hospital purposes under construction right next to the National Cancer Center. It is planned to become operational in October. I will propose using this as part of the center to the minister.”