Jammu, Feb 04: Around 5000 new cases of cancer were detected in Jammu and Kashmir last year, the government said on Sunday.
Minister for Health and Medical Education, Bali Bhagat revealed the number while expressing concern over the increasing number of such patients in the state.
He also announced that to cater and cure this deadly disease three New Cancer Institutes would be set up in the State which would help to provide timely diagnosis and treatment facilities to the patients.
The Minister was speaking at World Cancer Day function observed at Government Medical College Jammu here.
The Health Minister said that these institutes would be set up at Kupwara, Udhampur and Kishtwar. He expressed hope that setting up of these institutes would help to detect cancer at an early state.
Bali Bhagat said that cancer is curable disease and it needs proper awareness among the people. He directed the heath officials to organize district and block level camps to aware people about the disease and to encourage its prevention, detection and treatment.
The Minister said that aim should be to save thousands of lives each year by raising awareness and education about cancer and target misinformation about cancer prevalent in the society and reduce stigma attached to the disease by enlisting support for those affected by it.
However, he said that State Government is making all its efforts to provide best possible treatment to these patients at their doorstep and PET scan machine have been installed at SKIMS Srinagar and adding that same machine would be installed in Jammu soon.
The Minister also visited oncology wards and interacted with the patients admitted there and gave special gifts to the patients.
Number of renowned doctors and dignitaries were present at the occasion.
Meanwhile, on the World Cancer Day, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has urged to create awareness about the disease as the state has seen spurt in the deadly disease in the last few years.
Mehbooba wrote on the social networking website, Twitter: “J&K has seen a rise in Cancer cases in the last 7 years. Let us come together to create awareness about this disease & its symptoms. Cancer is curable if detected & treated early. #WorldCancerDay2018”.
