Khodaldham to set up cancer care hospital: Patidar leader Naresh Patel

“There will be no community-specific facilities and charges in the hospital and thus, it will be open to all and common for all,” Patel said, adding, “While the hospital will come up under the banner of Khodaldham, I appeal to people of all communities to treat this as their project. We will welcome donations from all communities for this project.”

January 21, 2024 will also mark the seventh patotsava, or anniversary of the consecration of Khodaldham, a temple of goddess Khodiyar constructed by SKT at Kagvad village, some 60 kms west of Rajkot. The temple was consecrated and thrown open to devotees in 2017.

Amreli is around 20 kms west of Rajkot. Khodaldham has purchased 42 acres of government land in this village for its various projects and the hospital will come on this piece of land, SKT functionaries said. “Given the distance of the proposed location of the hospital from the city, it is imperative that we provide accommodation facilities to patients’ relatives. Therefore, the hospital project will have this as a component,” Patel added.

Incidentally, Patel, who is among the leading industrialists of Rajkot, is also vice-chairman of the governing council of Rajkot Cancer Research Society, a charitable organisation that runs a cancer hospital in the city.

“The proposed hospital will be equipped with the latest medical equipment and professionals who would provide best cancer treatment,” Pravin Jasani, an SKT trustee said, adding, “The Saurashtra region has a population of around 2.5 crores and people still have to go as far away as Mumbai for cancer treatment. Hence, there is a need for a good hospital for cancer treatment.”

To spread the word about the hospital project, Lunagariya said the SKT chairman will embark on a ‘Sankalp Yatra’ or a march with a resolution from Somnath temple near Veraval on December 17. “During his yatra, which will be around two-week-long, he will cover almost all districts of Gujarat and parts of Maharashtra. He will meet people, inform them about the hospital project and solicit their support and invite them to be part of the project,” the SKT spokesperson said.

Incidentally, SKT has already built a grand temple of goddess Khodiyar, the patron deity of Leuva Patels, at Kagvad village, around 60 kms south of Rajkot. It also provides coaching to those aspiring to join government service through Sardar Patel Cultural Foundation and is also training youths who aspire to join politics. Health will be the third sector SKT will foray into.

“The first phase of the hospital with 200 beds and allied facilities is likely to cost around Rs 250 crore,” Lunagariya said, adding, “Currently, SKT is soliciting donations in the form of Bhumidaan (donation of land) at Rs 2,500 per square yard and the funds collected so will be used for developing the hospital,” the SKT spokesperson said, adding they are consulting top professionals for the hospital project.