Anantnag GMC lacks Chemotherapy ward, Radiation therapy, patients suffer

Sameer Ahmad

Anantnag: The lone Government Medical College (GMC) of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district has been lacking the basic facilities in oncology department, resulting in problems to cancer patients in the district.

According to sources, the GMC Anantnag lacks the chemotherapy ward, Radiation therapy, washroom facility, adequate bed facilities etc, in oncology department, due to which cancer patients face difficulties, while patients are being forced to visit the other hospitals.

As per the data, received from the Union Health Ministry, 51,577 cases of cancer were reported in J&K in the last four years, major in Srinagar, followed by Anantnag on 2nd number.

The Department of Radiation Oncology at GMC-associated hospital Janglat Mandi Anantnag has registered approximately 1,000 cancer patients in the last three years, reflecting a concerning rise in cancer cases in South Kashmir.

Meanwhile, talking to Arising State, Dr Owais, Consultant Radiologist, GMC Anantnag said that the most common cancers whose prevalence is very high in South Kashmir are Gastric cancers, Esophageal cancers, Colonic cancers, Lung cancers, Ovarian cancers followed by Breast, Gall bladder, Cholangiocarcinomas, Hepatic Cancers,  Renal Cancers among many others.

GMC Anantnag is catering more than 30 lakh population from whole of the South Kashmir including Shopian, Pulwama, Kulgam and Anantnag apart from adjoining Districts of Ramban, Banihal, Doda and Kishtwar, he said.

“About 60-65% of these patients require radiotherapy treatment at some phase of their treatment for which the patients were eventually referred to Srinagar, causing serious economic slowdown to majority of these patients, with many of the poor patients don’t go for huge costs, incurred for the treatment and travelling charges,” Dr added.

Meanwhile, South Kashmir Civil Society (SKCS) has demanded that the Regional Cancer Centre should be established at Anantnag, besides IPD facilities for Cancer patients.