Srinagar: Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a troubling increase in cancer cases, with around 45,000 patients registered at Soura Hospital in Srinagar since 2013. This surge is compounded by a significant shortage of diagnostic facilities, posing a public health challenge in the region.
According to Kashmir Media Service, approximately 8,500 patients have been registered at the Department of Radiation Oncology, SMHS Hospital, Srinagar since 2017, with 1,520 new cases reported this year alone. The upward trend in diagnoses underscores a growing health crisis in the Kashmir valley. A critical issue is the limited availability of diagnostic equipment, with only one cancer detection machine located at Soura Hospital.
Local communities have expressed concerns about the lack of essential equipment, noting that the absence of adequate scanning facilities is forcing many patients to seek costly private healthcare. This situation often leads to long waiting periods and financial strain for those in need of timely medical intervention.
Health experts attribute the rising incidence of cancer to factors such as genetic predispositions, lifestyle changes, environmental pollution, and delays in diagnosis due to insufficient healthcare resources. The absence of adequate diagnostic facilities leads to late-stage diagnoses, which are more challenging to treat.
There are growing calls for immediate action to address the medical equipment shortage and enhance healthcare infrastructure in IIOJK to manage the increasing cancer burden effectively.
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