JAMMU & KASHMIR: Jammu and Kashmir has approximately 51,000 registered cancer patients, the Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo informed the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, outlining measures taken to broaden screening and therapeutic services across the Union Territory.
Institutions and programmes expanded
Itoo said the administration has established two State Cancer Institutes — one at SKIMS Soura in Srinagar and another at the Government Medical College Jammu — with financial and technical support from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), according to a written response placed before the House.
The minister emphasised the institutes are designed to deliver a range of oncology services including diagnostic work-up, treatment and allied support, aiming to meet major treatment needs of patients within Jammu and Kashmir.
Screening moved closer to communities
Asserting the importance of early detection, Itoo said the Health Department is taking screening efforts nearer to people, including initiatives at household level, to identify cancer at earlier, more treatable stages. The statement said late-stage presentation has been a recurring challenge in the territory.
The government has also constituted an Apex Committee to guide policy on cancer prevention, screening and treatment; the Director of SKIMS has been designated as the committee's Nodal Officer, the written reply recorded.
Burden and patterns reported
According to the department's reply, cancer incidence in Jammu and Kashmir is following the wider global upward trend. The report cited gastrointestinal, lung and breast malignancies as comprising a substantial portion of diagnosed cases in the Union Territory.
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Estimated cancer patients in J&K | ~51,000 |
| State Cancer Institutes | SKIMS Soura; Government Medical College Jammu |
| National support | NP-NCD (financial & technical) |
Legislative context and earlier figures
The minister's reply came in response to a question from MLA Mir Saifullah, who had sought figures on the prevalence of cancer and details of available facilities. Saifullah referred to 2024 figures reportedly indicating about 71,000 cancer patients in Jammu and Kashmir, including over 50,000 in the Kashmir division.
The Health Department's written response offered the current estimate of around 51,000 patients, without providing a detailed breakdown by district or division in the material tabled in the Assembly.
Practical implications for patients
Officials said the intent behind decentralising screening and establishing the two institutes is to reduce travel and financial strain on patients seeking diagnosis and treatment. The institutes are expected to provide core oncology services locally and to coordinate with peripheral health facilities for early detection and referral.
- Two State Cancer Institutes now operational in J&K under NP-NCD support.
- Screening being extended to community and doorstep levels to enable early diagnosis.
- Apex Committee constituted to steer cancer policy; SKIMS Director named Nodal Officer.
The written reply also noted the government's focus on making cancer care more accessible and affordable but did not include specific timelines for the expansion of infrastructure or details of budgetary allocations in the Assembly papers presented.
Health policy analysts and public health stakeholders have long urged improved population-based screening, better registry systems and expanded palliative care alongside curative services to address rising cancer incidence, but the Assembly reply confined itself to institutional steps and screening outreach currently being implemented.
Further information including a district-wise patient register, staffing patterns at the two State Cancer Institutes, and the scope of allied oncology services available at peripheral centres was not provided in the written response and may be sought from the Health and Medical Education Department for detailed planning and public awareness.
Reporting from Srinagar.
