Approved in 2013, five cancer institutes remain on paper

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 15

The five cancer institutes sanctioned for the state by the previous UPA-II government at the Centre in 2013 continue to remain on paper only.

Two state cancer institutes and three tertiary cancer care institutes were to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 375 crore. The two state cancer institutes were to be set up at the cost of Rs 120 crore each at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, Srinagar, and Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Jammu.

The tertiary cancer care institutes were approved by the Centre for Kishtwar, Udhampur, Kupwara under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke at the rate of Rs 45 crore per facility.

“The Government of India has not provided the funds to start the construction of the state-level cancer institute. We had completed all formalities and forwarded the proposal but the Centre always raises objections on petty issues, which can be settled in due course of time,” said Dr Ashutosh Gupta, head of radiotherapy department, GMCH, Jammu.

Dr Gupta said they were waiting for the funds from the Centre to start the construction of the institute. “We have been facing severe space crunch here. On a daily basis, we receive 100 OPD cases, while the number of chemotherapy patients is 30-40 per day. This number is in addition to the elderly patients. We are expecting to receive 2,500 new cancer patients this year alone,” he added.

Official sources said the Centre had asked for a revised memorandum of understanding and a certificate from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre besides the consent of 10-per cent state share in the scheme for the release of funds.

“Of these five centres, the funds have been allotted for SKIMS, Soura, that too just the first instalment. In February 2015, the Union Health Ministry had released the first instalment of Rs 47.25 crore for the institute but thereafter, the SKIMS authorities, who had undertaken some of the construction works, are awaiting the funds,” sources said.

Sources said, “As far as the tertiary cancer care Institutes are concerned, even the land has not been identified for these projects to date.”

Pertinently, J&K has witnessed an unprecedented 87 per cent rise in the cancer cases during the last seven years. As many as 28,424 cancer patients have been registered with the government hospitals in the capital cities of the state during the last seven years. Going by the statistics, there is an alarming increase in the number of cancer patients as a total of 5,731 cases were reported in 2017 against 3,057 cases recorded in 2011.

Last month, the state government, however, had doubled the financial assistance being given to cancer patients for their treatment under the Constituency Development Fund of legislators in any financial year from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh each to at least 25 cancer patients.

87% rise in patients

• J&K has witnessed an 87 per cent rise in the cancer cases in the last seven years
• As many as 28,424 cancer patients have been registered with the government hospitals in the capital cities of the state during the last seven years
• Going by the statistics, there is an alarming increase in the number of cancer patients as a total of 5,731 cases were reported in 2017 against 3,057 cases recorded in 2011

Central funds awaited

The Government of India has not provided the funds to start the construction of the state-level cancer institute. We had completed all formalities and forwarded the proposal but the Centre always raises objections on petty issues, which can be settled in due course of time. We are waiting for the funds from the Centre to start the construction of the institute. — Dr Ashutosh Gupta, head of radiotherapy department, GMCH, Jammu