That the incidence of cancer in Kashmir is on the increase, for quite some time now, the alarm bells have been ringing louder. But these, despite being loud, have largely gone unheard. Studies have shown that during past more than a decade, there has been a sharp increase in the number of cancer patients in Kashmir, and this is expected to double by the year 2027. In three South Kashmir districts of Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam, according to the cancer register of SKIMS, the occurrence is higher than in other districts. During the past five years, the three districts account 20 percent of all the cases registered in Kashmir. The Pulwama District with its 325 cases per lakh of population tops the lists, followed by Kulgam and Pulwama Districts. It is not to suggest that other districts are incidence free, the fatal diseases have a significant presence in all districts of the Valley.
There can be no denying that some highly committed medicos working in various institutions in the state have done a substantial number of studies, and identified different types of cancers that mostly afflict population in Kashmir. Moreover, it also cannot be denied that with improved diagnostic facilities available in the Medical Institute, Soura, and the Department of Radiation Oncology, Government Medical College, Srinagar, and even the assistance offered by Cancer Society Kashmir have helped in early detection of the diseases, thus saving many lives. Nonetheless, because of lack of the latest equipment in the state, scores of patients continue to visit various cancer hospitals in a metropolis like Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi, for advance treatment. Some forty years back, the Radiotherapy Centre was set up at the SMHS hospital. It optimally functioned for a couple of years but sadly turned almost non-operational in 1989. However, with adequate financial assistance from National Cancer Control Program and funds provided by the state government, the centre was put back on the rails. Nevertheless it lacks much need infrastructure. For halting the increasing incidence of this fatal disease there is need for setting up a separate cancer hospital with all facilities under one roof.