IT News
Imphal, Mar 24 :
Oncology centres offer hope to patients locked in a life and death situation. Yet, countless patients often have to travel thousands of kilometres to meet a medical oncologist or a surgical oncologist. Dr. Y. Indibor Singh, Head-Radiation Oncology, Karkinos Manipur Cancer Care Institute and Research Centre says that the key to solve patient movement is to decentralize cancer care to district level where public private partnership models can be explored.
There has been rapid stride in the field of cancer treatment during the last 2 to 3 decades. This has resulted into better cure prospects, early detection and prevention as well. Even in late stages with wide spread disease, life can be prolonged with good quality and many will reach ripe age before dying in a dignified manner. Even though globally, the cancer incidence keep rising the mortality rate in many cancers are decreasing.
For this high precision radiation therapy, newer machines are available using cutting edge technologies and artificial intelligence. We have stereo tactic radiosurgery with the help of Cyberknife, High energy megavoltage Linear accelerators to deliver IMRT, IGRT, VMAT by using rapid Arc technique or Rotational ring Gantry modes etc. We now have particle beam therapy with proton and heavy ions like Carbon-14 which gives radiation oncologists more flexibility and versatility while dealing with radioresistant tumors in critical areas.
With the advent of modern radiation equipments and techniques, we can give high dose precision radiation therapy and increase chance of cure and at the same time decreasing the radiation induced toxicity. Surgeons now perform organ or limb sparing surgery minimally invasive surgery and robotic surgery as well.
The big question is how much or how well our state of Manipur is prepared or equipped with all modern infrastructures and expertise to deal with the fight against cancer or least control it. As of today our state lags behind in cancer treatment facilities specially in radiation discipline. Government institutes like RIMS and JNIMS have hardly any advanced radiation treatment facility.
There is a big gap in affordable and accessible standard and quality patient care for those suffering from cancer. Consequently patient has to move outside state with great financial difficulty. Needless to say, technology alone cannot control the cancer menace as we need to do more in health promotion and preventive aspects along with awareness programs.
Private sectors like Karkinos Manipur Cancer Care Institute and Research Centre in Porompat, Imphal has come forward in a big way by partnering with Government of Manipur (PPP mode) to fill the gaps. To this end, with our motto of Karkinos Healthcare Centre delivering affordable and accessible world class cancer care by collaborating up with MAYO clinic, USA, will usher in the dawn of a new era in cancer treatment in our state.
