Naidu wants cancer treatment units in rural India
Bengaluru, June 28: Concerned over the spread of cancer at an alarming rate due to changing lifestyles, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday called for setting up of more cancer treatment units in rural areas to fight the dreaded disease.
"While cancer hospitals and treatment facilities are available in many urban areas, we need to establish cancer units for early detection, diagnosis and treatment in rural areas," said Naidu after unveiling a new state cancer institute block at the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology here.
The government needs to find policy alternatives in order to make cancer treatment affordable for all, including about 70 per cent population living in the rural areas, Naidu said.
"No doubt, huge investments are needed for trained man power and equipment, but the government should explore various policy alternatives that would make cancer treatment affordable," he added.
With nearly five lakh deaths occurring annually in the country due to cancer, there was a need for greater awareness on the risks of developing the disease due to sedentary lifestyle, pollution, the Vice President stressed.
It is estimated that there are about 30 lakh cases of cancer in the country at any particular point of time, with nearly 10 lakh new cases occurring each year.
Quoting the projections by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in 2016, Naidu said that by 2020 the number of new cancer cases was expected to touch 17.3 lakh and the deaths 8.8 lakh.
According to the National Cancer Registry Programme of the ICMR, nearly one in every 15 men and one in every 12 women in urban parts of the country who can develop cancer, with breast cancer and mouth cancer being common among women and men respectively, Naidu added.
Governor Vajubhai R. Vala, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Irrigation and Medical Education Minister D.K. Shivakumar were among those present on the occasion.
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Mamata visits Bhabanipur EVM strong room, warns against counting irregularities
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee early Friday warned against any attempt to tamper with the counting process, hours after she visited an EVM strong room in Bhabanipur, alleging possible malpractice.
Banerjee, who emerged around 12:07 am after spending nearly four hours at the counting centre for her Bhabanipur constituency housed in Sakhawat Memorial School in south Kolkata, said only one person would be allowed inside the designated counting area.
"Either the candidate or one agent can stay upstairs. I have also suggested installation of a CCTV camera for the media," she told reporters.
Stressing the need for transparency, she said, "It is essential to maintain transparency. People’s votes must be protected. I rushed here after receiving complaints. The central forces initially did not allow me to enter."
Sounding a stern note ahead of the May 4 counting, she added, "If there is any plan to tamper with the counting process, it will not be tolerated."
On Thursday evening, Banerjee had reached the Bhabanipur Assembly segment counting centre, which houses the strong room for EVMs used in the April 29 polling, citing suspicion of tampering with the machines.
She entered the premises along with her election agent and remained inside for hours, even as Kolkata Mayor and TMC candidate from the Kolkata Port segment Firhad Hakim reached the spot but could not meet her.
"I reached here upon learning that the chief minister has arrived. But I couldn’t meet her since she was already inside the premises, exercising her right as a candidate to visit strong rooms. I wasn’t allowed there. I will not be able to confirm what exactly is transpiring inside," Hakim said.
The development coincided with protests by TMC candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in north Kolkata, where they staged a sit-in alleging irregularities and possible tampering of EVMs stored in strong rooms, leading to face-offs between TMC and BJP supporters.
Earlier in a video message, Banerjee had urged party leaders, workers and polling agents to maintain a 24-hour vigil on EVM strong rooms, alleging that the BJP could attempt to tamper with the machines before counting begins.
Her remarks come amid heightened political tension in the state following a fiercely contested Assembly election, with parties closely monitoring arrangements and raising concerns over transparency.
