Arunachal Pradesh set to get a full-fledged cancer hospital
Health Minister Alo Libang announced plans to establish a cancer hospital in Arunachal Pradesh during a cancer detection and awareness camp held at St Claret College auditorium in Lower Subansiri HQ Ziro. The minister hopes to make Arunachal Pradesh a cancer-free state and intends to organize similar camps in areas with high cancer cases. The event was a collaboration between several organizations, including the State Cancer Society of Arunachal Pradesh, Dr. B Borooah Cancer Institute in Guwahati, and the Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast.
The minister also supported the construction of a 10-bedded tertiary cancer hospital at Gyati Takka General Hospital (GTGH) as requested by the Apatani Apex body. He mentioned that the health department had recently introduced two mobile vans exclusively for cancer patients.
Mountain Echo is now on WhatsApp Channel. Please join us there.
Local MLA Tage Taki requested the health department to investigate the relationship between food habits, water content in Ziro valley, and cancer. The Cancer Awareness Camp had the participation of 24 doctors, with 1251 individuals signing up for cancer detection tests. Preliminary findings from the tests have so far identified 22 suspected cancer cases, with results for 12 of them still pending.
Dr. Bamin Tada, the camp’s convener, stressed the need for a dedicated cancer hospital and more research to understand the causes of rising cancer cases in the region. Meanwhile, minister Libang emphasized that similar awareness camps would be organized in Papum Pare and Pasighat, regions grappling with a high incidence of cancer.
Dr. BB Borthakur from BBCI emphasized the importance of early cancer detection, as cancer can be cured when detected in its pre-cancerous stage. Stomach cancer is prevalent in the district, with high cancer rates in Papum Pare district compared to the national average. Dr. Borthakur highlighted the roles of community leaders, NGOs, and social media in educating people about early cancer signs.
In the technical session, Dr. Rubu Sunku, TCC TRIHMS spoke on “Introduction to cancer and its risk factors” and “Stomach and Liver cancers: Risk factor and early detection”, Dr. Ashok Das, Professor Head and Neck Oncology, BBCI Guwahati spoke on “Tobacco burden and its association with cancer in Northeast and Arunachal Pradesh”, Dr. Todak Taba, TCC TRIHMS spoke on “Gynecological cancer control and building healthy lifestyle”, while Dr. S. Tsering, State Nodal Officer (Cancer Control Programme) spoke on “Brief overview on cancer treatment in Arunachal Pradesh”.
