Three years after the flood in 2014 devastated the entire infrastructure of the oncology department at the SMHS Hospital, crippling cancer treatment facilities, the authorities on Friday inaugurated the newly-installed radiation oncology equipment at the department.
The CT-Simulator, brachytheraphy and Cobalt Unit, the much needed equipments for cancer management and treatment, will be available for treatment of cancer patients at the hospital from Saturday.
“These facilities were much needed. This is a dream come true to have these facilities again operational here now,” principal government medical college (GMC) Srinagar Dr Saima Rashid said at a function at the GMC.
She said over 2000 cancer patients were currently registered with the GMC, and requested the government to augment the institute’s cancer facilities with the grant of a tertiary care cancer center.
Referring to the three-year delay, head department of radiation oncology SMHS Hospital Dr Sanuallah Kuchay said the equipment could not be restored earlier due to “strict requirements” by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).
“To satisfy AERB’s requirements we worked very hard,” he said.
Currently, the department has engaged a radiation safety officer on academic arrangement, medical physicist, 11 faculty members and seven radiotherapy technicians as per AERB guidelines.
In Kashmir, the limited avenues for cancer treatment have been forcing many patients to seek treatment outside the state. For years, the Regional Cancer Center at SK Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura was the only facility where comprehensive cancer treatment was possible due to integration of multi-specialties and radiation oncology.
However, the ever increasing number of patients diagnosed with cancer every year has resulted in longer waiting period at SKIMS, risking lives.
The radiation oncology department of the SMHS Hospital was started in 2011 and before September 2014 when floods hit Kashmir, at least 997 patients were on treatment at the department, underscoring the need for expanding cancer treatment facilities in Kashmir.
“The devastation of the department resulted in more burden on SKIMS facilities,” Dr Kuchay said.
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