Rising cancer cases in IIOJK amidst shortage of diagnostic facilities
Srinagar: Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir is grappling with a troubling increase in cancer cases, with approximately 45,000 cancer patients having been registered at the Soura Hospital in Srinagar since 2013.
According to Kashmir Media Service, additionally, around 8,500 patients have been registered at the Department of Radiation Oncology, SMHS Hospital, Srinagar since 2017, with 1,520 new cancer cases reported this year alone.
The number of cancer diagnoses continues to rise alarmingly, reflecting a growing public health crisis in the occupied Kashmir valley. However, a critical issue exacerbating the situation is the severe shortage of diagnostic equipment. Currently, there is only one machine available for cancer detection, located at Srinagar’s Soura Hospital.
Local communities have voiced their concerns over the limited availability of such essential equipment. They have pointed out that the absence of a scanning machine is causing severe difficulties for patients, who are often forced to seek treatment at private hospitals. For many, this means enduring long waits and bearing the financial burden of expensive private healthcare services.
Health experts have identified several factors contributing to the rising cancer cases, including genetic predispositions, lifestyle changes, environmental pollution, and significant delays in diagnosis due to inadequate healthcare resources. The lack of sufficient diagnostic facilities only exacerbates the situation, leaving many patients to cope with late-stage diagnoses that are harder to treat.
In light of these growing concerns, there are calls for urgent action to address the shortage of medical equipment and improve healthcare infrastructure to manage the rising cancer burden in IIOJK.
