Six-fold increase in cancer cases in the State of J&K since 2008, taking the number to 56.716, has alarmed the government and civil society. The number has been drawn from the record of patients visiting GMCs in Srinagar and Jammu besides the SKIMS in Srinagar. This disclosure has been made by the State Health Minister in the Upper House of the Assembly. It is difficult to state the causes of rapid increase because no research conducted so far has been able to find out the real cause of this fatal disease, and as such, no specific and dependable cure to the disease has been found. Therapeutic treatment is there and often cancer patients are referred to therapeutic branch. But no success is guaranteed. As long as the real cause of this deadly disease is found by the scientists, the humanity is bound to suffer. But then there are some steps recommended by physicians and experts which, according to them, could help reduce chances of contracting the killer disease.
In view of a large number of people suffering from this disease, it becomes the responsibility of the Government to intervene and address this growing threat to the people’s health. While the Government should activate research and investigation into the rapid rise of this disease in the State, it should also take big measures in providing relief to the families of the affected persons. Since this disease renders them incapable of earning the bread for the family, the Government would do well to provide the patients with support to meet their expenses incurred on the treatment of the disease. Reportedly, Cancer treatment is very expensive and most of the sufferers of disease are unable to bear the cost. The Government should step in and devise mechanism of providing maximum medical and financial support to cancer patients registered in Government Medical Institutions in the State.
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