Thiruvananthapuram: Leading oncologist and Padma Shri receiver Dr.
M Krishnan Nair, who is the founding director of the Regional Cancer Center (RCC), died at his residence in Vellayambalam in the capital on Thursday.
He is 81 years old.
Dr.
Krishnan Nair was born in 1939 at the Konni as the oldest son of Prof.
K Madhavan Nair and V Meenakshikty Amma.
He finished MBBS from Thiruvananthapuram Medical College in 1965.
He pursued a higher study at Amritsar Medical College for MD and then at Christie Hospital Manchester for FRCR.
He married K Valsala and the couple had girls.
Dr.
Krishnan Nair served as a professor in Thiruvananthapuram Medical College in the 70s and became the founder of the RCC in 1981.
He began with the wings of children in RCC and children from poor families provided drugs and free medication.
Dr.
Krishnan Nair was at the forefront when RCC set up a community department and prevention with the intention of creating awareness of cancer, in 1985.
To empower the community about the dangers of cancer and also in how cancer can be cured if the initial stage detected, he applied a 10-year action plan for cancer control in Kerala.
The World Health Organization, as award and recognition of the community cancer control program in the state, has provided RCC status from the WHO collaboration center.
Dr.
Krishnan Nair has helped WHO in preparing managerial guidelines for the national cancer care control program and also pioneered to conduct a National Cancer Control Program conference in Geneva in 2000.
He also became a member of the WHO Caner expert advisor panel.
As a vice president of the regional cancer association, he carried out a broad anti-tobacco program in the state which won it in 2000.
He played an important role in starting the first pain clinic in the RCC in 1986 and Morphine was available in the state.
He also helped in the Network of the Palliative Care Center.
Internationally recognized researchers in Oncology, Dr.
Krishnan Nair must get a credit of more than 250 scientific papers in international journals.
He has also written more than 30 books.
Governor Arif Mohammed Khan denied the destruction of Krishnan Nair.
“The service for oncology will be long remembered.
Sincere condolences.
Hopefully his soul reaches Mukti”.
Some others, including Pinarayi Vijayan and his colleagues, denied the death of Dr.
Krishnan Nair.
The body was cremated in Shanthikavadam later on.