CANCER CASES IN INDIA
An increasing number of people, especially children, in India are being diagnosed with cancer, marking the fastest rise in cases worldwide.
In fact, a report released by the Indian multinational health care group, Apollo Hospitals, last month labeled the South Asian nation as “the cancer capital of the world.”
THE FINDINGS
- The study revealed an alarming picture of declining overall health across the country, pointing to soaring cases of cancer and other non-communicable diseases nationwide.
- The report found that at present, one in three Indians is pre-diabetic, two in three are pre-hypertensive, and 1 in 10 struggles with depression.
- Chronic conditions like cancer, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health disorders are now so prevalent that they have reached “critical levels,”
- The study projected the number of annual cancer cases to rise from almost 4 million in 2020 to 1.57 million by 2025.
- Breast, cervix, and ovarian cancer are the most common forms of cancer affecting And among men, they are lung cancer, mouth cancer, and prostate cancer.
FACTORS CAUSING CANCER
“Contributory factors to rising incidence are
- Advancing age,
- Unhealthy diets with ultra-processed foods stoking inflammation,
- Exposure to air pollution laden with carcinogens and
- Climate change with increased exposure to ultraviolet radiation,
THE ISSUES WITH PEDIATRIC CANCER
- Around a million new cases of cancer are diagnosed in India every year, of which about 4% are in children.
- Doctors and other health professionals say there is a shortage of pediatric oncology facilities in the country, particularly in government-run hospitals.
- Only 41% of public hospitals have dedicated pediatric oncology departments.
- Additionally, a lack of funds and access to care, as well as social stigma, are big hurdles for many affected families.
- Diagnosis, access to care and medications and follow-up are difficult and there is a lot of abandonment of treatment as the parents cannot afford treatment.
WHAT SHOULD WE DO?
- Low health screening rates in the country pose a significant challenge for the fight against cancer, and stressed the importance of preventive health care measures.
- India has a screening program in place for oral, breast, and cervical cancer, but screening rates are less than 1%, according to national data, despite the WHO’s recommendation that at least 70% of women should get tested.
- There is also a need for policies to impart financial protection and expand the screening and curative services for cancer.
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