AIIMS Jammu starts cancer surgeries

‘Patients now will have access to advanced treatment’
Jammu, Feb 19: In a groundbreaking development in the healthcare in J&K, the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Jammu, has started cancer surgeries, the first in this Union Territory.
AIIMS Jammu has started Gastrointestinal (GI) and Hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) cancer surgeries with the state-of-the-art facility at Vijaipur.
“The AIIMS Jammu has successfully conducted its first-ever colon cancer surgery, marking a significant step forward in enhancing healthcare capabilities in the Union Territory (UT),” Director, Jammu AIIMS, Dr Shakti Gupta said.
“This will ensure that patients now will have access to advanced cancer treatment options within their local community, reducing the need to travel to other states,” he said.
The introduction of cancer surgeries is expected to significantly alleviate the healthcare burden on residents of Jammu and Kashmir, providing them with critical care at the early stages of diagnosis, he said.
This new service addresses a long-standing need for specialized GI and HPB oncology care in the region, offering surgical treatment for various types of GI and HPB cancers.
Colon cancer, one of the most prevalent forms of cancer in India, has been a growing concern due to the increasing number of diagnoses annually.
The successful surgery at AIIMS Jammu is poised to provide hope to countless patients, he said.
The initiation of cancer surgeries will not only save lives but will also reduce the financial and emotional burden on families, who would otherwise have to travel far for treatment, he said.
This initiative is expected to reduce the pressure on medical facilities in larger cities like Delhi and Chandigarh, where many residents of Jammu and Kashmir previously had to seek treatment, he said.
“By bringing the cancer care to AIIMS Jammu, we aim to make life-saving treatments more accessible and affordable for everyone, particularly those in rural and remote areas,” he said.