Cancer Outbreak Continues in Punjab, Lack Of Health Facilities

Cancer continues to plague Punjab despite successive claims made by governments from time to time about the treatment of cancer. Every government has failed to provide good health facilities to state people.

Bathinda: Cancer continues to plague Punjab despite successive claims made by governments from time to time about the treatment of cancer. Every government has failed to provide good health facilities to state people.

Cause of Cancer in Punjab

The root cause of cancer in Punjab is the increased use of pesticides on food grains which has a detrimental effect on the body and the other major reason is the big change in the diet of the people and the increasing pollution in the air. Cancer cases are also increasing due to the increasing use of drugs by people.

Cancer train from Bathinda to Rajasthan

Malwa belt particularly Bathinda patients who suffer from cancer, used to go to Rajasthan's Bikaner via train, which was called 'Cancer Train', as going to Chandigarh and Ludhiana for treatment was economically and geographically not feasible, but now big cancer hospitals have been opened in Malwa so fewer people are going to Rajasthan for treatment.

Deepak Arora, Director, Advanced Cancer Diagnostic Treatment and Research Center, Baba Farid Medical University, Bathinda said that the reason for the rise in cancer in Punjab is the high level of chemicals in the groundwater. "We have advanced medical equipment at our research centre due to which people no longer go to Rajasthan for treatment and people from Haryana, Ludhiana, Bathinda and Rajasthan are now here coming for the treatment.

We have a team of expert doctors who motivate people from time to time to deal with cancer. Advanced Cancer Diagnostic Treatment and Research Center has two large machines are available only in Bathinda, North India.

The patients who came for treatment at the Advanced Cancer Diagnostic Treatment and Research Center, Bathinda said that although the government is making big claims about the health facilities, there was a huge shortage of doctors and staff in the centre. Frustrated patients appealed to the government to either provide staff and doctors to the centres or close down the centres.

Satpal Singh Sidhu, Malwa Zone Director, World Cancer Care Charitable Society said that his organization has conducted free cancer tests in 75% of the villages in Punjab and has created awareness among the people about cancer. Free tests are provided and treatment is provided free of cost. Special five buses have been designed in which about a dozen cancer tests can be conducted.

Rising air pollution, increasing use of pesticides and increasing use of drugs are being cited as the main reasons for the steady rise in cancer cases in Punjab. Cancer experts say that although governments are claiming improved health facilities on a grass-root level people are not getting these facilities and cancer patients are losing their lives.

What does the figure say:

• About 16,423 people have died of cancer in 2016.
• From 1st January 2014 to 31st December 2016, about 47,378 people have died of cancer across Punjab.

Deaths in Malwa region due to cancer

• 15,171 in 2014
• 15,784 in 2015
• 16,423 in 2016

After 2016, the Punjab government has banned the sharing of details of deaths related to cancer. Punjab's Malwa Belt has the highest number of women suffering from Breast Cancer.

30 per cent of patients are suffering from throat cancer and 70 per cent of women are suffering from breast and ovarian cancer. 70 to 80 cancer patients are being given daily chemotherapy at Advanced Cancer Care Center, Bathinda.

Status of Cancer Train

A 'cancer train' used to run from Bathinda at 9 pm for cancer patients for Bikaner, Rajasthan. This train was temporarily stopped after the covid break in Country. The fare per passenger was Rs 115 for the General seat and Rs 220 for the Sleeper seat and it used to reach Lalgarh at around 4.30 am in the morning.