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Lack of proper facilities forcing cancer patients to get treatment from outside state

Subodh Bhasin. Dated: 7/18/2018 11:09:00 AM

Subodh Bhasin
Jammu, July 17
Time to time much of schemes were announced for cancer patients in State of Jammu and Kashmir, yet the delay in implementing such schemes is putting hardship for cancer patients.
Although at the time of UPA-II five cancer institutes were sanctioned for the state which still remains a distant dream for the cancer patients. Even months ago the health department proposed that the state government establish cancer care centers in all district hospitals.
In absence of proper diagnosis and facilities the patients are forced to get treatment from outside the state as a result thousands of families were being pushed into poverty either by the death of their lone breadwinners or by expensive treatment in the private sector.
As per the reports there is steep rise in number of cancer patients as J&K has witnessed more than 80% rise in the cancer cases in the last few years.
In the previous PDP-BJP regime the government admitted that the cancer disease is at an alarming proportionate and the number of cases is being increasing day by day.As per the reports, in year 2014 there were 6130 number of patients registered and being treated in the state and in year 2015 the number of cancer patients swelled to 6668 an, thereafter in year 2017 there were 6776 patients suffering from cancer.The available figure of cancer patients is for those who are being treated in the State run hospitals and not of those cancer patients who are getting treatment outside the state.
At present J&K had only one regional cancer centre at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, and oncology departments at Government Medical College, Srinagar, and Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu, which were understaffed and did not provide comprehensive services.
Shortage of funds remain a major obstacle to upgrade the facilities being given to cancer patients and starting up of purposed projects in all district hospitals
There are several district hospitals where shortage of specialized staff remains another reason giving proper and timely better treatment to the patients.
Few months ago The J&K Government’s first draft of the health policy was recommended chemotherapy units in every district with referral linkages to regional cancer centres.
The proposal has come after reports of increasing incidences of cancer in the state and failure to screen the patients at the primary healthcare level.
Even while the government has approved a tertiary cancer care centre each for Kupwara, Kishtwar and Udhampur the project is being delayed due to shortage of funds and the lethargic approach adopted by the concerned authorities