*Sanctioned 2 yrs back, SCIs nowhere in sight
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Nov 22: Notwithstanding the fact that cancer cases are on rise in Jammu and Kashmir, the Government has yet not shown any seriousness in providing timely and advanced treatment and some sort of financial help to the affected people and the announcements in this regard have remained confined to the official files only.
This can be gauged from the fate of two State Cancer Institutes sanctioned for Jammu and Kashmir by the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre in 2013 and non-implementation of the decision taken in the District Development Board meeting of Jammu held in the month of July this year.
According to the official figures, 18,391 people have been detected with cancer in the State since 2013. The number of cancer cases in 2013 was 6300 and in 2014 the number increased considerably to 7098 and till September ending this year the number of cases was 4993. On an average, nearly 2000 fresh cancer cases are reported in Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu every year.
The sharp rise in the cancer cases was also admitted by the Health Department in reply to the question of a MLC in the Legislative Council in the Autumn Session of the State Legislature. It was also stated by the Health Department that Government of India had sanctioned two State Cancer Institutes—one each at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar and Government Medical College, Jammu.
However, the alarming figures have not been taken seriously by the State Government till date and in the absence of advanced treatment in Jammu and Kashmir and lack of financial support from the Government despite tall promises the people suffering from this deadly disease are running from pillar to post to save their lives.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that while chairing District Development Board meeting of Jammu district on July 3, 2015, the Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed announced that Rs 1.00 crore shall be kept at the disposal of the Principal Government Medical College Jammu as Cancer Fund. The minutes of DDB meeting were formally issued on August 18, 2015 for the information and action on the part of the concerned department.
Shockingly, this decision of the DDB was not taken seriously by the Planning and Development Department despite being aware of the fact that the amount was to be utilized for providing some sort of relief to the poor people suffering from deadly disease, sources said.
“This issue also came up for discussion during the review meeting of the District Development Board chaired by Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh at Jammu on September 30, 2015”, sources said, adding “in this meeting Deputy Chief Minister was informed that the Planning and Development Department has been requested for release of Rs 1.00 crore in favour of Principal, Government Medical College Jammu as Cancer Fund”.
Accordingly, the Deputy Chief Minister issued directions for apprising the Planning Department for early release of funds to meet the objective behind the announcement of the same by the Chief Minister, sources said while disclosing that the minutes of review meeting were formally conveyed to the Planning and Development Department for prompt action on October 9, 2015.
However, the DDB decision taken by the Chief Minister and directions issued by the Deputy Chief Minister have not been taken seriously till date and the Principal, Government Medical College Jammu is still awaiting Rs 1.00 crore funds for the cancer patients, sources regretted.
“Even the fate of State Cancer Institutes has been hanging in balance since 2013 and these institutes are still on papers only with no activity on ground”, sources informed, adding “during the past two years the process of submitting necessary documents to the Union Health Ministry after obtaining necessary clearances and permissions is still going on and nobody knows when these institutes would become reality as even after formal release of funds by the Union Government five to six years would be minimum period required for completion of work”.
When contacted, Minister for Health, Ch Lal Singh said, “the present dispensation is initiating all steps to ensure advanced facilities to the cancer patients and the results of the same would be visible on ground in near future”. He said that previous dispensation at Centre as well as in State had only announced two State Cancer Institutes but thereafter did nothing to give them practical shape.
“We are in the process of completing all the formalities and very shortly the Union Health Ministry would be formally approached for release of funds for these two Cancer Institutes”, Ch Lal Singh said. About DDB decision, he said, “my department will write to the Planning and Development Department for release of funds without any further delay”.
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