Srinagar, Aug 25: The cancer treatment provisions at Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla have brought much-needed relief to cancer patients from multiple regions in north Kashmir.
Officials have indicated that these facilities will receive additional enhancements in the upcoming years, further improving the situation for patients.
Prof. (Dr) Ruby Reshi, Principal GMC Baramulla said despite limited resources they have been able to add to the cancer treatment facilities in the medical college. “We have started regular OPD for cancer patients and registrations are done on regular basis of new cancer patients,” she said.
“We have also started one ward for daycare chemotherapy and investigations are done. In future we are hopeful that we start other infrastructure related to radiotherapy and subsequent modalities of treatment we are giving services to the patients,” she said.
On a daily basis chemotherapy is given to 2-3 cancer patients and the OPD remains open for six days. “This has come as a relief for the patients and in coming years we are going to add more and more facilities for the cancer patients,” she said.
Prof. Ruby said the facilities have become the first point of contact and patients are getting screened at the right time and treatment is also provided to the patients.
“We get patients from entire north Kashmir. This is just the beginning and we are hopeful of improving the facilities,” she said.
Last week, the GMC Baramulla created tumour board at the hospital which will be helpful in managing the patients and taking right decisions at the right time.
The hospital offers chemotherapy and palliative care management to 173 registered cancer patients. As per the official figures 52 patients were treated in 2021, 76 in 2022 and 45 have been treated in the current year.
Prof. Muhammad Maqbool, Head Department of Radio Oncology, GMC Baramulla, said they have been good number of patients despite the fact that the medical college is in infancy.
“Seeing the number of patients visiting the hospital, we immediately started the chemotherapy at the day care ward and we get patients from Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora and Tangmarg,” he said.
The HoD said that the facility has come as a relief for the patients and they no longer need to visit Srinagar hospitals for treatment.
“We are working to improve the facilities. Cancer treatment is a multi-modality treatment and we need to have specialists,” he said.
Prof. Maqbool said they have also held awareness camps on breast cancer in the associated hospital of GMC Baramulla and all the females working in different department and others were informed about the breast cancer.
To extend its area of learning the GMC held a webinar with the British-based Kashmiri Medical Association in which international speakers spoke on palliative care management.
“We have also sent nurses to SKIMS Soura for training which will further add to the treatment of patients,” he added.
