Naidu for mandatory cancer screening after a certain age
Mumbai: Cancer screening after a certain age should be made mandatory in the country, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu said today, and asked researchers to make path-breaking advances in cancer prevention and treatment.
Addressing a graduation ceremony at the Tata Memorial Centre here, he also called for greater emphasis on inventing strategies in the battle against cancer.
"Two-thirds of advanced cancer cases are preventable.
Therefore, early detection and treatment are the need of the hour. The government should make it mandatory after a particular age for cancer screening. A healthy nation can become (a) wealthy nation," Naidu said.
"We should educate and spread awareness about early detection and prevention of cancer," he said.
Quoting the Indian Council of Medical Research data, Naidu said, "In 2016, the total number of new cancer cases was expected to be around 14.5 lakh and the figure is likely to reach nearly 17.3 lakh new cases in 2020. Over 7.36 lakh people were expected to succumb to the disease in 2016 while the figure is estimated to shoot up to 8.8 lakh by 2020."
The data also revealed that only 12.5 per cent of patients come for treatment at early stages of the disease, Naidu said, adding among women, breast cancer topped the list, while it was mouth cancer among men.
"According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey, in India during 2016-17, around 19 per cent of men, 12.8 per cent of women and 21.4 per cent of all adults smoke tobacco and 42.4 per cent of men, 14.2 per cent of women and 28.6 per cent of all adults either smoke tobacco and or use smokeless tobacco," the vice president said.
Naidu underlined the importance of Ayurveda to the graduating students, saying, "Medical students should try to explore if ancient Indian medical systems like Ayurveda, can offer some alternative solutions on cancer treatment."
According to some scholars, cancer treatment with Ayurveda goes back to seventh century BC, where Atreya and Dhanwanthari used herbal medicines for treating early stages of cancer, he said.
"We should see if there are some indigenous cost- effective solutions that may be useful for making cancer treatment more affordable," Naidu said.
The vice president said, "People should go back to their roots, especially the way we live and the way we think."
Awareness must be created, particularly among the youngsters, on the need to lead healthy lifestyles and avoid consumption of junk food, he said.
Naidu also touched on the need to increase palliative care centres in the country.
He asked doctors and medical students to spread awareness on the need to observe personal hygiene and maintain sanitation.
Lack of personal hygiene causes infections like HPV, which, in turn, has the potential to cause cancer of the cervix, Naidu said.
Yoga training should be imparted to students as part of ensuring healthy lifestyles, he said, adding yoga is a holistic approach to healthy living and there is evidence that it enhances the well being and quality of life.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
'Strong evidence' available against Saif attacker, police tell court while opposing his bail plea
Mumbai, Jul 25 (PTI): Police have opposed the bail plea of the Bangladeshi national arrested for allegedly stabbing Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan with a knife and injuring him at his home here in January this year, telling a Mumbai court there was "strong evidence" against the accused.
Citing a Forensic Science Laboratory report, police reiterated before the sessions court their earlier claim knife fragments that got lodged near the actor's spine during the attack as well as a part found at the crime spot have matched with the weapon recovered from the accused, Shariful Islam.
These three pieces were part of the same weapon (knife) used to attack the filmstar, the police said in a written response to the accused's plea submitted in the court on Thursday (July 24).
Khan was repeatedly stabbed with a knife by an intruder inside his 12th floor apartment in upscale Bandra on January 16 during a robbery attempt.
The 54-year-old actor underwent surgery at Lilavati Hospital to remove a piece of knife that got lodged near his spine during the attack. He was discharged from the private hospital after five days.
Shariful Islam, a Bangladeshi national, was arrested two days later for allegedly stabbing Khan.
The police, in their response, highlighted that the accused is a Bangladeshi citizen residing illegally in India.
If granted bail, there was a possibility that he may flee India and not appear before the court during the trial. The crime committed by the accused is of a "very serious nature, and strong evidence" is available against him, they argued.
In his bail plea, filed through advocate Vipul Dushing, the accused asserted he was innocent and had no prior criminal record.
Investigation into the case has practically concluded with only the filing of a chargesheet pending, the accused contended while seeking bail.
The alleged attacker has been booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections related to house trespass, robbery and dacoity with attempt to cause death or grievous injury.
