SRINAGAR: The government on Friday said that Jammu and Kashmir reports a 2 to 3 per cent increase in cancer cases every year.
Replying to a question from MLA Tanveer Sadiq, Health Minister Sakina Itoo informed that 50,551 cancer cases were reported in Kashmir from 2018-2024, while in the same period, the number of cancer cases in Jammu was 13,912.
“The annual increase in new cases is 2 per cent to 3 per cent in the last three years. Presently, cancer patients in J&K are given specialised treatment at SKIMS Srinagar and GMC Jammu, with several facilities available,” she said.
She added that cancer patients in Kashmir are provided with radiation oncology, critical care ICU, Neuro ICU, CVTS ICU, Pulmonary ICU, and Paediatric ICU at SKIMS. Besides that, Government Medical College, Jammu is presently providing OPD services, Chemotherapy, PET CT Scan, Brachytherapy, Radiology Tests, Digital Radiography, and Colposcopy to cancer patients.
“The State Cancer Institute is functional at SKIMS Soura. It houses a Day Care facility for Medical Oncology patients, Clinical Haematology, and Radiation Oncology for in-patients. The third floor of the State Cancer Institute, SKIMS, is ready for the shifting of the Bone Marrow Transplant facility. The recruitment of manpower for the transplant is in progress in the department,” she said.
The minister said a dedicated operation theatre for cancer patients is being operationalised at SKIMS Soura, which would be ready very soon. “The Radiation Oncology department at SKIMS is ready for the shifting of the Bone Marrow Transplant facility, but it is awaiting the recruitment of manpower, for which the case has been forwarded to the concerned agencies.”
She added that the construction of three operation theatres and a 10-bedded ICU in the State Cancer Institute, Jammu, is nearing completion and is likely to be finished by the end of March 2025.
“Efforts are already underway to decentralise cancer care, which has been accomplished to a great extent by introducing chemotherapy at District Day Centres.
The government has already taken the initiative to decentralise cancer treatment by establishing cancer care facilities in all 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir,” she added. (KNO)
