Report Finds Cancer Risk High For People Living Near River Drains; ICMR Tells To Rajya Sabha
People Living Near River Drains Are At High Risk Of Cancer: ICMR; Currently, due to the increasing population in India, there is a shortage of land and space for living. Therefore, people are mostly build houses on land near rivers and canals. In many big and small cities of India, including the capital Delhi, people are building houses on such land.
However, an ICMR report has revealed that people living near rivers and canals are at higher risk of developing cancer. The study found that lead, iron and aluminium are present in these areas above the limits set by the Central Pollution Control Board.
However, ICMR has given this information in writing to Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel in the Rajya Sabha.
The Union Minister said that the government is always trying to provide better facilities for cancer treatment. For this, efforts are being made to strengthen the Tertiary Care Cancer Facilities Scheme. Under this scheme, 19 State Cancer Institutes and 20 Tertiary Care Cancer Centres have been approved. Meanwhile, its second campus has also been established at the National Cancer Institute in Jhajjar, Haryana and Chittaranjan, Kolkata. All modern facilities will be available for diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Meanwhile, all facilities for treatment of cancer are also being provided in 22 newly built AIIMS.
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)
At the same time, the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana(PM-JAY) provides cancer care support by covering costs per family up to rupees 5 lakh every year for secondary and tertiary care.
As per government statistics, the scheme covers 55 crore economically weaker sections (12.37 crore families). The scheme has recently been made applicable to all senior citizens who are 70 years and older, regardless of income. PM-JAY includes more than 500 procedures that are cancer-related.
Over 15,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras have been established to distribute generic drugs at affordable prices. According to estimates, nearly 87 cancer drugs have been made available under the scheme. Under the AMRIT programme, 222 AMRIT pharmacies dispense medicines at a discount of up to 50% across 29 states and union territories.
The government is also carrying out preventive cancer measures through early diagnosis and awareness programmes under the NP-NCD. Till now, 770 district NCD clinics and 6,410 NCD clinics have been established in community health centres.
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