Srinagar, Mar 07: Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a steady rise in cancer cases, with a 2-3% annual increase, Health Minister Sakina Itoo informed the Assembly on Friday.
Responding to MLA Tanveer Sadiq’s query, the minister revealed that 50,551 cancer cases were reported in Kashmir from 2018 to 2024, while Jammu recorded 13,912 cases in the same period.
To tackle the growing burden, the government has strengthened cancer treatment facilities at SKIMS Srinagar and GMC Jammu, offering radiation oncology, chemotherapy, critical care ICUs, PET-CT scans, and brachytherapy. The State Cancer Institute at SKIMS Soura now has a Day Care facility, Clinical Hematology, and Radiation Oncology, with plans to operationalize a Bone Marrow Transplant unit soon. However, recruitment for the facility is still in progress.
Meanwhile, in Jammu, a 10-bedded ICU and three new operation theatres at the State Cancer Institute are near completion and expected to be ready by March 2025.
The minister also highlighted efforts to decentralize cancer care by making chemotherapy available at District Day Centers across all 20 districts of J&K.
About The Author
