Dr Jitendra launches J&K’s first Tata Cancer Center affiliated Unit at Kathua
STATE TIMES NEWS
KATHUA: Launching the Jammu and Kashmir’s first ever state-of-of-art Tata Memorial Center Mumbai affiliated Cancer Care Unit in the new block of Govt Medical College Kathua on Sunday, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the facility will cater to three territories of J&K, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
The Minister said, he felt pained to receive calls every morning from different parts of the region from desperate family members pleading to arrange admission of Cancer patient at Tata Hospital Mumbai or arrange accommodation for the attendants. He then decided to start the Tata affiliated facility at Kathua and thus moved the papers in the Department of Atomic Energy which is the controlling authority of Tata Memorial Center Mumbai.
Dr Jitendra said, with increasing lifespan, changing lifestyles, environmental factors etc , the prevalence of cancer is assuming epidemic proportions and cancers of all nature and all organs are happening everywhere. A Tata satellite Cancer care facility in Kathua will therefore prove to be a great boon for the region, he said.
Dr Jitendra said that Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Parliamentary Constituency could be the future ‘Health Circuit’ of the region with state-of-the-art healthcare facilities like 3 Centrally funded Medical Colleges, North India’s First Biotech Park Kathua, Centrally funded Ayurvedic College Kishtwar, National Institute of High Altitude Medicine Bhaderwah, upcoming Homeopathy College at Kathua, etc. And, with the establishment of the Day-care Chemotherapy (Onco-care) Unit at GMC Kathua today, cancer treatment is going to become accessible and affordable as the missing link has been completed today for affordable and accessible cancer treatment in the area.
Dr Jitendra was addressing a gathering after inaugurating the Day-care Cancer Chemotherapy Unit. On the occasion, the Minister also inaugurated a Maternal ICU and voluntarily funded 300 LPM Oxygen Plant at GMC Kathua.
Dr Singh said, onco-care will be upgraded in GMC Kathua in coming years as Onco DM and MCH seats will be provided to it and world class cancer specialists will be invited here for treatment, lectures and seminars.
On the treatment of various types of cancers, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, India has taken a lead in the production of vaccines for the prevention of malignancies like ‘CERVAVAC’ as the Biotechnology sector in India is growing by leaps and bounds as India is set to achieve $150 billion Bio-Economy by 2025, which stood at over $100 billion in 2022.
Secretary Health and Medical Education, J&K, Bhupinder Kumar in his address said, the establishment of Day-care Chemotherapy Onco-care Unit at GMC Kathua will make cancer treatment in the area accessible and affordable.
