CKD and TATA Trust meets for the establishment of Cancer Care Hospital in Amritsar

Amritsar, May 2 (Punjab post Bureau) – A delegation of CKD office bearers hobnobbed with a team of experts from TATA Trust at the CKD office on Tuesday. After the Ardas, CKD honored TATA Trust delegates in Sri Guru Kalghidhar Gurudwara Sahib.

Experts from both organizations gave presentations and exchanged their views regarding the project in the meeting. The experts from both sides worked on the modality of setting up a Super Specialty Cancer Care Hospital under the umbrella of CKD.

Dr. Santokh Singh commented that as per the available data, only about 1.50 lac patients reach the hospital for treatment of cancer or cancer-related diseases, in Amritsar. Expert opined that the border areas of Punjab have been facing an increase in cancer and cancer-related diseases in the present times. 

According to the findings of the TATA Trust, about 65,000 new cancer patients are detected in Punjab every year.  At least 56 radiotherapy machines would be needed by 2023 to treat these patients. Speaking on the occasion, President CKD Dr. Santokh Singh said that only 10% of the population can afford cancer treatment in the privately owned hospitals, whereas the Govt. health care infra structure is grossly inadequate and can manage not more than 10-12% of the total cancer cases. Given the limited cancer treatment centers, patients have to travel an average of 100-150 Km for cancer diagnostics treatment.

 Sr. Lakshman Sethuraman from TATA Trust   revealed that in Punjab, people mostly suffer from diseases or cancers of the gastric tract, head and neck, breast, urology and other related cancer diseases.

The expenditure incurred on these days is too immense to be borne by most patients from their own pockets. Punjab has a population of 34 crore with a growing average of 1.5 annually Chief Khalsa Diwan (CKD) and TATA Trust had another round of meeting to set up Cancer Care Hospital in Amritsar to achieve the goal of setting up cancer care Hospital in Amritsar, CKD had another leg of meeting with team of expertise of TATA Trust at CKD office on Tuesday. 

Punjab also receives quite an inflow of patients from nearby states like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. He also emphasized on awareness, screening, and early detection of cancer which may help in its prevention and timely treatment. 

Hon. Secy. N.S Khurana said that Cancer Care hospital mooted by CKD in collaboration with TATA Group aims to take initiative to provide affordable cancer  treatment that is accessible and nearby to the resident patients.

Vice President S. Sarabjit Singh, Resident President Nirmal Singh, Honarary Secy. N.S Khurana and Surinder Singh Rumalian Wale, VC Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Dr. Kulwant Singh, Dr. Hardeep Singh, Sawinder Singh Kathunangal,  Hari Singh,  J.S Walia,  Ravinder Singh Robin, Sibasis Pati, Ms. Dilpreet Brar, Ms. Atamjot Grewal, Chinmay Patil, Dr. Komal Cheema Dr. Vinod Mathew, Dr. Mirnal Pandit and other CKD members were also present.