'Chemotherapy will be extended to eight more hospitals'

BHUBANESWAR: A comprehensive action plan will be prepared for cancer awareness among public, early detection through screening and strengthening of health institutions, health secretary Arti Ahuja said in Bhubaneswar.
Ahuja was speaking to reporters after a meeting on formulation of a road map for providing comprehensive cancer care.
She said chemotherapy service will be extended to another eight district-level hospitals.Currently, such service is available in seven hospitals: Koraput, Nawarangpur, Sundargarh, Bargath, Balasore, Mayurbhanj and Kandhamal and Capital Hospital. At the same time, palliative care service including pain management will be provided through these centres. The doctors and staff nurses will be trained for this service, the health secretary said.
Cancer has emerged a big public health challenge. Every year nearly 40 to 60 thousand new cancer patients are detected in various cancer care health facilities in the state. It is estimated that there are two to three lakh cases of surviving cancer patients, a government statement said.
It has been observed that 70 – 80 % of cases are being detected very late, either as stage III or IV, when treatment becomes very costly and survival rate is very low. Further, it has been observed 20-30% of cases, who are surviving need palliative care. But, the state has got very few centres for palliative care.