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Governor PB Acharya releasing a souvenir during the annual review of the National Cancer Registry Programme in Kohima town on Friday.[/caption]
KOHIMA, NOVEMBER 11: Nagaland has found itself a record as the leading State in the country in nasopharyngeal cancer cases with 15.3% males and 10.8% females affected by the disease. In the recent years, cancer has emerged a major public health concern in the State with more than 600 new cases detected every year, current stream of information states.
Cancer cases registered for the years 2010-2015 were 3, 161, with 60.68% of males and 39.32% of females, indicating the magnitude of cancer prevalence in the male population as higher than that of the fairer gender.
The information was stated during the annual review of the National Cancer Registry Programme at the Capital Convention in Kohima town on Friday.
Emphasising the need for integration of a ‘holistic approach in one’s mind,’ the chief guest for the event, Governor PB Acharya appealed to cancer experts to research medicinal plants available in the State. He asked them to ‘inquire into the health progress of patients’ as well.
Although the Naga people desire to have a medical college, Acharya said in regret, there was no faculty professionals that were prepared to come and work in the state. One should take it as a challenge to work in a place like Nagaland, the Governor stressed.
Acharya also maintained that knowledge should not be for personal gain. He called for ‘change of mindset’ because ‘one cannot always expect people from outside the state to come and strengthen what is in the state.’
The Governor also talked about change in the education system. Although there are hundreds of fresh graduates, scientist coming out from Indian universities, he said, educated people tend to be ‘self-centered’; the people are suffering because of this.
Universities should impart knowledge that is applicable to the society to survive, he said. The Governor also emphasized on skill development ‘so that young minds coming out from universities become job givers and not job seekers.’
Also speaking during the occasion, Minister for Health and Family Welfare P Longon referred to the high prevalence rate of cancer in the State. He said Nagaland should also have a cancer-treatment facility ‘at least by now.’
Longon appreciated the Government of India for providing funds to establish ‘cancer centre’ at the Naga Hospital in Kohima. The politician was optimistic that the project would become a reality considering the support of the cancer research centre for ‘proper treatment’ to the people of the state.
The director of the National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research in Bangalore, Dr. Prashant Mathur, also said in a keynote address that data was required to ‘showcase a problem and to act on it.’ There is a need to shift from data collection to action, he said, to accelerate behavioral change and attitudes.
Also, the director of the Dr. B. Borooah Cancer institute in Guwahati, Dr AC Kataki, said Mizoram leads in cancer cases, followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Assam. The northeast region, he said, is the ‘cancer capital’ of the county due to poverty, ignorance, and lack of awareness.
While lamenting the limited cancer treatment facilities in the northeast region, Kataki urged the governor and the minister for health to pursue the representation submitted to the central government to expedite the matter ‘so that Nagaland would have one soon.’
He also expressed dismay that the scheme available for the weaker community, ‘Health minister’s cancer treatment fund’ was not being implemented in many states and appealed all to judiciously utilize this fund keeping in mind the welfare of the weaker section of the people.
109 cancer specialist and doctors from across the country attended the two-day event.
