By Our Staff Reporter
RISHIKESH, 13 July: Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd) participated as the chief guest in the ‘Close the Care Gap’ program on Saturday, aimed at raising public awareness about urological cancer, under the auspices of the Department of Urology at AIIMS, Rishikesh.
During the program, the Governor released a book titled ‘Hope and Healing’ and a helpline number 8126542780, created by the Urology Department to raise public awareness about urological cancer, and reviewed the exhibition set up by the department for cancer awareness. Beneficiaries who had overcome urological cancer shared their experiences of recovery and health benefits after undergoing robotic surgery.
On this occasion, the Governor said that today, the book ‘Hope and Healing: Unlocking the Mysteries of Urological Cancers’ is also being unveiled. The book is also being unveiled in the native language Hindi as ‘Asha Aur Upchar: Mootra Sambandhi Canceron Ke Rahasyo Ko Ujagar Karna’. He said that this book elaborates on the risks of urological cancers and provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advances in diagnosis, treatment, and research. Written by leading experts in the field, this book offers invaluable insights for doctors, researchers, students, and the general public.
Lt Gen Singh mentioned that the government is developing more than 150,000 Health and Wellness Centers to connect villages with modern health facilities. About 125,000 Health and Wellness Centers have already started functioning. Millions of people have been screened for cancer at these centers spread across the country. The central government is working towards establishing at least one medical college in each district of the country. There were only 7 AIIMS at one time in the country. Today, this number has increased to more than 20. Speaking specifically about cancer hospitals, the central government has approved about 40 specialized cancer institutions across the country, many of which have already started providing services.
The Governor emphasized that in times of illness, the poor were often forced to sell their houses or land. Therefore, the government has also focused on providing affordable medicines and treatments to patients. Ayushman Bharat has provided the poor with the facility of free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh, including many cancer patients.
The Governor noted that there is a network of Jan Aushadhi centers across the country where cancer medicines are available at very low prices. The prices of cancer medicines have been reduced by almost 90%. The availability of affordable medicines at nearly 9,000 Jan Aushadhi centers across the country has eased the difficulties of the poor. He said that the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission is ensuring that every patient receives quality health services promptly and with minimal hassle. The introduction of Made in India 5G services in the country is expected to revolutionize remote healthcare.
He stated that in his opinion, there is a need to fight against cancer, not fear it. It is treatable. Timely diagnosis and treatment are the keys to overcoming this disease. The Governor stressed that it has always been said that prevention is the best cure. With this in mind, the country is placing significant emphasis on preventive healthcare. He said that working towards prevention will also reduce the incidence of diseases. The Governor made a special appeal to doctors to help patients and their families fight the depression caused by cancer. The Governor urged those present at the program and the healthcare community to spread public awareness about cancer.
On this occasion, the Executive Director of the institute, Prof Meenu Singh, urged people to be aware of their health and undergo regular health check-ups. She advised seeking prompt consultation from specialist doctors if any symptoms of illness are noticed. She noted that people often hesitate to report problems related to urology, which worsens the disease, and hence, we need to overcome this hesitation to stay healthy. The B.Sc Nursing students of the institute performed a street play to provide information and treatment details about prostate cancer.
On this occasion, the Organizing Secretary and Head of the Urology Department, Dr Ankur Mittal, provided information on the symptoms, treatment, and precautions of urological cancer. He said that the department is continuously working towards the eradication of this disease and has successfully conducted more than 500 robotic surgeries related to urological diseases.
The program was attended by the Secretary of the Telemedicine Society of India, Dr S Umashankar, Dean of Academics, Prof Jaya Chaturvedi, Medical Superintendent, Prof Sanjeev Kumar Mittal, teachers and students of AIIMS Rishikesh, and others.
