Srinagar, Feb 03: In Jammu and Kashmir, access to cancer treatment remains unequal in rural areas despite a sharp rise in cases over the years.
Limited healthcare infrastructure, shortage of oncologists, and the absence of specialized treatment facilities in peripheral hospitals have widened the gap, forcing rural patients to travel long distances for essential care.
As per doctors the medical oncology department of GMC Srinagar and the newly established medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir continue to face manpower and infrastructure issues that have widened the cancer treatment gap.
“The new medical colleges and peripheral hospitals lack surgical oncologists and related manpower which is a hindrance in cancer care. There are no full-fledged facilities and we need to develop infrastructure,” said a senior doctor of GMC Srinagar.
According to the government data, about 75.19% of Jammu and Kashmir’s population lives in rural areas, while the rest reside in urban areas and there is unequal distribution in cancer care.
“However, there is still a lack of radiotherapy facilities in rural hospitals. If developed it could help to minimize the huge burden on tertiary care hospitals in Srinagar,” he said.
Medical oncologists said as cancer cases continue to rise, the disparities in access to cancer care remains in rural areas and they suffer in the distribution of cancer care facilities.
Dr Zahoor Ahmad Paul, HoD and Associate Professor, Radiotherapy GMC Baramulla said cancer is preventable as many risk factors could be avoided and many lives could be saved.
“World over and in J&K also smoking and alcohol is the biggest risk factor for cancer and cause malignancies. People take an unhealthy diet which causes many issues,” he said.
He explained that most cancers are linked with lifestyle diseases, and if people change their lifestyle, these diseases can be controlled to a large extent.
“Regular screenings and health check-ups are crucial for early disease detection. Screening helps identify asymptomatic patients, enabling timely curative surgery,” the doctor said.
Paul said many patients who come to the hospital are in stage four and many are unaware that they have cancer adding people need to know about the warning signs of cancer. “Regular check-ups are essential for people provided they visit doctors.”
As per doctors the top five most common cancers in Kashmir are gastrointestinal (GI) cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, and ovarian cancer.
The cancer burden continues to grow, exerting tremendous physical, emotional and financial strain on individuals, families, communities and health systems.
Notably, a key focus of this year’s Union Budget for 2025-26 is on cancer care, with provisions for establishing daycare cancer centers in all district hospitals, targeting addition of 200 such centers that seeks to make cancer treatment more accessible, especially in rural areas.
The announcement has been praised by the medical community. Doctors said that these cancer centres once established will help in detection of the cancers at the right time.
Dr Khalid Ur Rehman, Medical Officer J&K Health Services said it is a very wise and indeed revolutionary step to establish cancer care centres in rural areas and in new GMCs/district hospitals of J&K.
“It will not only help in early screening of new cancer patients but also help in treating and counselling of cancer patients therefore help in overall decreasing of cancer patients flow to SKIMS and SMHS hospitals,” he said.
Kashmir with a unique cancer profile has seen a rise in cancer cases over the years with SKIMS Soura recording over 5,200 cases in 2024. Similarly, GMC Srinagar logged 1300 cases of different types of cancers, a trend that has continued over the years.
The doctors said on World Cancer Day observed on February 04, people should focus on fundraising and contribute for cancer treatment and create awareness among the general public.
The theme for this year’s World Cancer Day 2025 is “United by Unique”. Its campaign aims to highlight the importance of tailoring cancer treatments to cater to the specific needs of each individual, ensuring that care is both effective and compassionate.
