ICMR eyes grassroots cancer detection model
Saqib Rather
Srinagar, June 8: For years, cancer patients in Jammu and Kashmir have often reached hospitals when the disease has already advanced, leaving families battling not only a life-threatening illness but also mounting treatment costs and shrinking chances of recovery.
Now, health experts believe a renewed focus on early detection could change that reality.
Health officials say the move comes at a critical time as cancer cases continue to pose a growing public health challenge in the Union Territory.
“Too many patients are still reaching tertiary care hospitals in advanced stages of disease,” said a senior oncologist associated with cancer care programmes in Kashmir. “When cancer is detected late, treatment becomes more complex, more expensive and less effective. Early screening can save countless lives.”
The proposed programme seeks to transform how cancer screening is delivered by shifting the focus from hospitals to community-level healthcare institutions. Under the model, district hospitals, community health centres, primary health centres and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are expected to play a central role in identifying individuals at risk and ensuring timely referrals.
Experts note that gastric and oesophageal cancers continue to be among the most frequently reported cancers in Kashmir, making the region’s cancer profile distinct from many other parts of the country.
“Jammu and Kashmir requires a strategy designed around its own realities,” said a public health specialist. “Geography, healthcare access, dietary habits and awareness levels all influence disease patterns. A locally tailored approach is essential.”
The initiative will focus on screening adults for oral cancer, women for breast and cervical cancers, and older populations for gastrointestinal cancers. Officials hope that greater awareness campaigns and regular community-based screening will encourage people to seek medical attention before symptoms become severe.
Frontline healthcare workers are expected to play a crucial role in the effort. ASHA workers, nurses and non-specialist doctors may be trained to identify warning signs, counsel families and guide patients through the referral process.
“People often avoid screening because they fear a diagnosis or do not understand its importance,” said a senior health official. “Creating awareness at the grassroots level is just as important as establishing screening facilities.”
Researchers involved in the project will also examine barriers that have historically prevented people from participating in cancer screening programmes. These include social stigma, lack of awareness, financial constraints and difficulties in accessing healthcare services.
For many families who have witnessed the impact of cancer, the initiative offers hope that future patients may not have to endure the same struggle.
“Every month we meet patients who say they wish they had known earlier,” said an oncology specialist. “That is why screening matters. Detecting cancer at an early stage can often mean the difference between a manageable illness and a life-threatening condition.”
Health experts believe that if successfully implemented, the programme could lay the foundation for a sustainable cancer-control framework in Jammu and Kashmir, ensuring that early detection becomes a routine part of healthcare rather than an exception.
As healthcare systems increasingly shift their focus from treatment to prevention, officials say the goal is simple: find cancer before cancer finds the patient.
“Cancer does not have to be a death sentence,” a health official said. “The key is reaching people early, diagnosing them early and treating them early. That is the future we are trying to build.”
