PAV urges cancer hospital in Andhra Pradesh

Praja Arogya Vedika (PAV), a health organization in Andhra Pradesh, has asked Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda for help in building a specialized cancer hospital and research center in the state. They made this request in a letter dated Tuesday. The call for a cancer facility comes because Andhra Pradesh has struggled with a shortage of cancer care options since the state's division in 2014. PAV leaders, T. Kameswar Rao and M.V. Ramanaiah, highlighted that many patients still lack affordable and specialized treatment. The state government has previously cited funding issues as a reason for not establishing a cancer institute. The need for cancer care is urgent, especially in places like Balabhadrapuram in the East Godavari district, where over 200 people have been diagnosed with cancer in just one village. The situation is dire, with many patients in advanced stages, undergoing treatment, or having already lost their lives to the disease. PAV has praised the Health Minister for his recent guidance on health screenings to tackle non-communicable diseases, including cancer. However, they stressed that without a dedicated cancer facility in the public health sector, the benefits of early detection from these screenings are minimal. In their appeal, PAV requested central funding for the new hospital, advanced treatment options, and a cancer research center. They also called for an investigation into the high cancer rates in Balabhadrapuram, as well as improved support for tracking and treating individuals identified with non-communicable diseases during screenings.