State Cancer Institute in Jammu & Kashmir: Addressing the Rising Cancer Cases
Located in Srinagar, the State Cancer Institute plays a crucial role in managing the increasing burden of cancer cases in Jammu & Kashmir. Operated with staff borrowed from SKIMS Soura, this institute has diagnosed over 17,000 new cases of cancer in the past three years alone.
Legislator Sheikh Ahsan Ahmed Pardesi raised concerns about the infrastructure and manpower of the State Cancer Institute, highlighting the lack of adequate medical, paramedical, and technical staff. This shortage has led to inconveniences for patients and compromised cancer care in the region.
The Health and Medical Education Department has noted a 7.49% rise in cancer cases, attributing it to improved diagnostics rather than an actual increase in cancer prevalence. The department emphasizes the need for further epidemiological research to establish causality.
With 10,754 cases detected in Kashmir division and 6,542 in Jammu division from 2023 to 2025, the State Cancer Institute at SKIMS Soura was established with central funding under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer. Despite receiving a substantial grant for infrastructure development, the institute is still undergoing construction as of December 2020.
Currently, around 80% of the State Cancer Institute in Kashmir is operational with staff borrowed from SKIMS Soura. The government is actively considering a proposal for dedicated medical, nursing, paramedical, technical, and supportive staff to enhance the institute’s functioning.
To address the growing patient load and reduce waiting times, the government is expanding services, including a significant increase in PET scans at SKIMS. Additionally, GMC Srinagar offers comprehensive cancer treatments, surgeries, and essential diagnostic tests like MRI, CT, and USG.
The procurement of a new PET Scan machine for GMC Srinagar, estimated at Rs. 16.00 crore through JKMSCL, is a commendable step towards improving cancer care and alleviating the suffering of patients in Jammu & Kashmir.
