Free stay for kin of cancer-stricken kids during treatment

People from economically weaker section (EWS), whose cancer-stricken children are undergoing treatment at Tata Memorial Centre’s Homi Bhabha National Cancer Institute here, will now get free stay facility during the treatment of their patients here.

The initiative has been taken by municipal commissioner, Varanasi, Gaurang Rathi. The free stay will be provided to them at a shelter home located in Sikrol area.

Varanasi Nagar Nigam (VNN) signed an agreement in this regard with Tata Memorial Centre’s cancer hospital and a local non-government organisation Rachna Foundation in the presence of divisional commissioner Deepak Agarwal on Wednesday.

Municipal commissioner Gaurang Rathi, Dr Satyajit Pradhan of the cancer hospital and RK Yadav of Rachna Foundation signed the agreement. He said the three-storey shelter home was so far being used for giving shelter to the homeless people found roaming in the urban areas of Varanasi.

As per the agreement, economically weak kin of the children undergoing treatment at Tata Memorial Centre’s cancer hospital here will now be allowed to stay at the second and third floors of the shelter home free of cost.

Rathi said the first floor of the shelter home will be used for the homeless people.

The civic commissioner also said Rachna Foundation will ensure maintenance of the first floor for which Varanasi Nagar Nigam will provide it money.

The cancer hospital will ensure maintenance of the second and the third floors of the shelter home. Rathi said there is arrangement for stay of 50 people in the three-storey shelter home.

There are 20 beds each on the first and second floors and 10 on the third floor.