Growing health crisis as J&K sees 3% annual rise in cancer cases
Vikram Sharma
JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a concerning annual increase of 2% to 3% in cancer cases over the past three years. As of the end of 2024, the total number of cancer patients in the Union Territory stands at 50,550 in the Kashmir division, while Jammu has recorded 13,912 cases.
This data was revealed by the Minister in charge of the Health and Medical Education Department in response to a query raised by Tanveer Sadiq. Sadiq sought details regarding cancer cases detected in Kashmir over the last seven years and questioned the delay in providing adequate staff and infrastructure to the State Cancer Institute in a timely manner.
The government further informed that cancer patients in Jammu and Kashmir are currently receiving specialized treatment at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar and Government Medical College (GMC) in Jammu. These facilities offer various treatment services and support mechanisms to cater to cancer patients.
The Minister elaborated that SKIMS in Kashmir provides cancer patients with facilities such as radiation oncology, Critical Care ICU, Neuro ICU, CVTS ICU, Pulmonary ICU, and Pediatric ICU. Meanwhile, GMC Jammu offers outpatient department (OPD) services, chemotherapy, PET-CT scans, brachytherapy, radiology tests, digital radiography, and colposcopy services.
Addressing concerns about the lack of a dedicated Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and operation theatre for cancer patients in Kashmir, the Minister assured that the State Cancer Institute at SKIMS Soura has been operational since December 5, 2020. The facility includes a day-care center for medical oncology patients, clinical hematology, and inpatient medical and radiation oncology services.
The Minister further disclosed that the third floor of the State Cancer Institute at SKIMS is ready to accommodate the bone marrow transplant facility, with recruitment of specialized manpower currently in progress. Additionally, a dedicated operation theatre for cancer patients at SKIMS Soura is in the process of being operationalized and will be functional soon. The radiation oncology department is also ready to facilitate bone marrow transplants but awaits manpower recruitment, for which necessary proposals have been forwarded to the concerned agencies.
In Jammu, the government is making strides to enhance cancer care services. The construction of three operation theatres and a 10-bedded ICU at the State Cancer Institute in Jammu is nearing completion and is expected to be ready by the end of March 2025.
To improve accessibility for cancer patients across Jammu and Kashmir, the government has initiated efforts to decentralize cancer care. Chemotherapy services have already been made available at District Day Centers, ensuring better reach and timely treatment. The government has committed to further expanding cancer care facilities in all 20 districts of the Union Territory.
According to government data, the number of cancer cases in Kashmir stood at 6,649 in 2018, compared to 2,334 in Jammu. By the end of 2024, these figures have surged alarmingly to 50,550 in Kashmir and 13,912 in Jammu, highlighting the growing cancer burden in the region. This sharp increase in cases calls for urgent and sustained efforts to bolster healthcare infrastructure and provide timely interventions to combat the disease effectively.
