Amala Cancer Hospital & Research Centre

The Indian system of Medicine, Amala Ayurveda is ancient and rich. Its earliest concepts are set out in the sacred writings called the Vedas, especially in the metrical passages of the Atharvaveda, which may possibly date as far back as the 2nd millennium BC. This system of Medicine has been practiced in the Country from time immemorial and has stood the test of time. Amala realised the potentials of this holistic system. This resulted in establishing Amala Ayurveda Hospital in the Complex in February 1982.
Amala Ayurveda Hospital & Research Centre consists of (a) Amala Ayurveda Hospital (b) Amala Ayurveda Research Wing (c)Ayurveda Medicine Production Unit (d) Amala Ayurveda Bhavan

The research wing is started for cancer research as a grant-in-aid research projects of Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Sidha, Govt. of India, New Delhi

The hospital is directly operating a medicine production unit. This ensures availability of genuine drug preparations as the drugs are for exclusive direct distribution to patients at a reasonable price.

The hospital also provides special health resort cottages namely, “Ayurveda Bhavan ” for patients from abroad and within the country who seek rejuvenative and curative therapy. These air-conditioned facilities are well furnished with modern necessities. Reservation is available for treatment and stay at Amala Bhavan.

Cancer Hospital offers the complete range of modern facilities necessary to take care of Cancer patients. The comprehensive therapeutic services comprises Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy and Cancer Surgery.

A dedicated and highly trained team of Oncologists, Nursing and Paramedical personnel are involved in the process of providing specialized care. Cancer Hospital has its own reception and ambulatory area. Its wards and private rooms accommodate 240 Inpatients at a time. It serves an average of 22,000 outpatients and 3000 inpatients annually.

Palliative care has a greater significance in a Cancer Hospital. It is the active total care of patients and their families by a multi-professional team at a time when the patient’s disease is no longer responsive to curative treatment. Palliative care responds to physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs. The goal is the highest possible quality of life for both patient and family.
To achieve these goals Amala organised an unique Pain Clinic. It is unique in the sense that it succeeded in combining both modern and oriental systems of pain management. Clinic possesses a number of high-tech auto syringe drive loaders for ophioid administration. The Oriental systems include Ayurvedic oil massages and Acupuncture Analgesia. Clinic successfully tapped the potentials of the Music Therapy too.

At no time is the patient’s need for psychosocial and spiritual support more pressing than during terminal illness. A Counselling and Prayer Service Team comprising Psychologists and Spiritual Counselors are working in coordination with Medical Personnel to serve this purpose.

The General Hospital Section is organised mainly to make the services of other branches of Medicine easily available to Cancer patients.
General Hospital offers services of 21 well established Departments/Divisions. They are: Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Pulmonology, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Neuro-surgery, Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Surgical Oncology, General Surgery, Neurology, Medicine, Orthopaedics, E.N.T., Oral & Maxillo-facial Surgery, Dentistry, Maxillo-facial Prosthetics, Gynaecology & Obstetrics, Paediatrics, Dermatology, Psychiatry, Anaesthesiology, Radiology & Imageology and Pathology.
Success of our hospital complex largely resulted by efficient and effective interaction between these Departments and Cancer Hospital. Each of these Departments is manned by one or more specialists with years of experience and high professional standing. They were supported by a team of Resident Medical Officers. A row of individual physician’s offices, investigative and treatment areas forms General Hospital Ambulatory.
General Hospital handles an average of 1,20,000 Outpatients and 16,000 Inpatients annually. Presently, its Inpatient facility has a capacity for managing 310 patients.

Department of Cardiology is full-fledged with an Intensive Coronary Care Unit. Its non-invasive laboratory comprises Bio-chemistry, Echocardiography with Colour Doppler and computerized Treadmill Test. I.C.C.U. has a capacity of 7 beds provided with equipments for monitoring vital parameters. It maintains defibrillators and all other essential equipments and drugs

Department of Gastroenterology was started in the year 1996. The department is most advanced with facilities for doing videogastroscopy, videocolonoscopy and videoduodenoscopy

Neurology Department started functioning from August 1997 onwards. In addition to the regular ambulatory services, emergency and critical care services are also provided round the clock. The Electrophysiology Laboratory is equipped with a modern 16 +2 channel EEG Machine. The Lab will be soon upgraded with addition of an Electromyogrpahy System with facilities for Evoked Potential studies (VEP,BAEP and SSEP).

Radiology Department incorporates not only the conventional Radiology but also the imaging science of Ultrasonography.

-GE Medical Systems – RT 4600 Computed Sonography System with 3.5 MHz linear and 3.5 MHz phased array sector transducer and Doppler attachment. – Siemens Sonoline SX Ultrasound Scanner.
– Toshiba Ultrasound diagnostic system with colour doppler having the following transducers:
1. Electronic phased array cardiac 3.75 MHz probe 2. Electronic convex 3.75 MHz probe 3. Electronic endovaginal 6.0 MHz probe with biopsy guide 4. 1.9 MHz pencil probe

Laboratory Services at Amala provide a complete range of tests and investigations necessary for a modern multispeciality hospital. The services include Biochemistry, Microbiology, Histopathology, Virology and Immunology. Haematology Biochemistry and Immunology services are provided with automatic analyzers

The Homeopathic Treatment and Research Centre was started in 1989 for the treatment of Cancer and other diseases and research. The Centre has 3 Homeopathic Practitioners and one Researcher cum Practitioner. The principal field of research is Cancer. The Centre has published research papers in several well known international and national journals.

Amala Cancer Research Centre is a recognised institution having pure research sections in Biochemistry, Immunology, Pharmacology, Virology, Mycology, Tissue Culture and Cytogenetics and applied research sections in Radiation Oncology, Surgical Oncology and Medical Oncology. It is approved by the Universities of Calicut and Mahatma Gandhiji for Ph.D programmes in Basic Medical Sciences and has recognition from scientific bodies like I.C.M.R., D.A.E., D.S.T., and C.S.I.R.

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Tissue Culture Lab Research Centre has shown a remarkable growth in both scientific and academic fields starting from its inception in 1984. All the scholars of first batch registered for Ph.D. were awarded with the Doctorate by Calicut University. The total number of students who received Ph.D. is 18 and the fields include Biochemistry and Immunology. Centre also helped many students from other universities to do their dissertation in M.Sc. and M.Phil.
Experimental cancer research:Identification of anticancer drugs from plants and synthetic compound,Chemo prevention, Carcinogenesis, Anticarcinogenic compounds from p;lant sourses,Immunotherapy , AntiOxidents, Antineoplastic secondary metabolites, Antineoplastic fungal metabolities, Radiation biology, Industrial toxicology,Identificaton drugs aganist AIDS , Antidibetic agents, Hypolypidemic agents, Antianthrogenic agents ,Homoeopathic drug development.
Clinical cancer research:Effect of immunomodulators in reducing ieukopienia,use of chemo preventiove agents as adjuvents in chemotherapy to reduce leukopaenia,Radiation protectors ,Use of antioxidents in reducing toxicityn induced by mycotoxin,alcohol and industrial solvents, Use of new anticancer agents, indijenous drugs research in leukaemia and in pain relief,anti-AIDS drugs, Anticancer Homoeopathic drugs.

Two free lodgings namely ‘House of Hope’ and ‘House of Fellowship’ having a total capacity a of 64 beds is operated by the Institution. They facilitate overnight stay of poor patients and bye-standers. Hospital is also conducting a free meal programme for Cancer patients namely

Doctor of Philosophy – Universities of Calicut and Mahatma Gandhi have recognised Amala Cancer Research Centre for Ph.D. work in subjects of Immunology, Biochemistry and Radiobiology.
Nursing and Paramedical Courses – Nursing teaching programmes conducted in the Institution has a positive influence in our nursing care. The General Nursing and Midwifery Diploma course was started in 1980. It has a sanctioned strength of 27 students in a batch.
Amala has started Radiodiagnostic Technology Course in the year 1993. This two year diploma course is affiliated to C.M.A.I. During 1996 two more diploma programmes namely ” Radiotherapy Technicians Course” and “Laboratory Technicians Course” were started with affiliation from C.M.A.I.