2,6301 patients treated at regional cancer centres in JK: Health Min

Jammu, Jan 9: As many as 26,301 patients have been treated at regional cancer centres in Jammu and Kashmir in the last four years, state Minister for Health Bali Bhagat told the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today.
Replying to a question of National Conference MLA Ali Mohammad Sagar in the Assembly during zero hour, he said 6,776 cancer patients were treated in 2017 in regional cancer centres at Government Medical Colleges in Srinagar and Jammu, and SKIMS.
In 2016, as many as 6,627 patients were treated there followed by 6,668 in 2015 and 6,130 in 2014, Bhagat said, adding registrations at regional cancer centres indicate that incidences of cancer is alarming and increasing day by day.
The corpus fund scheme for cancer patients was launched by former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Rs one crore as corpus fund was released in favour of Principal Government Medical College Jammu, he said.
To date, as many as 468 patients have been benefited under the scheme, the minister said.
It is important to mention that after years of wait, the Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan facility at SK Institute of Medical Sciences Soura was finally inaugurated on Sunday.The facility will be available for the patients from today (January 8). The cost for the as per the hospital authorities have been kept as Rs 14,500 for each scan.
The PET scan examination was announced in 2012 to upgrade the SKIMS capability to diagnose and treat the dreaded disease.
But due to the hospital administration mess and changing of locations, the PET scan was delayed. In 2016, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti directed the SKIMS to expedite setting up of PET scan facility and decided to personally monitor it.
The Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) at SKIMS Soura is the highest medical care for cancer patients in Kashmir. Established in 1988, it is one among the 27 RCCs functioning across India.