The National Cancer Institute (NCI), a unit of US Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS), has observed that India shares a large proportion of the global cancer burden, with rising mortality rates. The situation can improve with dissemination of scientific information among the general populace, claimed NCI officials.
India has around 1.8 million people suffering from cancer, with patients of breast, cervical and oral cancers topping the list. Every 13th new cancer patient in the world is an Indian. The NCI has organised a two-day international workshop for scientific journalism, aimed at media professionals, in association with Public Health Foundation of India and Institute of Cytology and Preventive Oncology (ICPO), Noida, on October 12 and 13. This is NCI's first such workshop in South Asia. Earlier, the institute had organised similar workshops in Brazil (2010), Mexico (2011), China (2012), Argentina (2012) and Puerto Rico (2013).
Preetha Rajaraman, programme director, NCI (South Asia), said there is need for global co-ordination to defeat cancer. "Every 13th new cancer patient in the world is an Indian. India has a huge capacity and strong media network. The aim is to train journalists so they can convey accurate messages to the public about prevention and treatment," Rajaraman said.
Peter F Garrett, director, NCI office of communications and public liaison (OCPL), said the workshop aims to strengthen understanding about various facts of cancer among the media community. "Media is a tool which can bridge the gap between medical practitioners and citizens. The workshop aims to enhance a journalist's understanding of cancer, and their ability to share this information with the public," Garrett said. NCI invited 30 journalists from print and electronic media to join the programme.
Dr Ravi Mehrotra, director, ICPO said tackling cancer is a serious challenge in India, as around 70-80% patients visit doctors when it is too late. "We feel preventive action is an essential for beating cancer," Mehrotra said.
Experts also observed there is immediate need of skilled manpower and many more cancer treatment centres. There are only 412 medical colleges in the country. There are also only 347 teletherapy units - where patients are treated using radiation - in the country, against a need of 1,059.
There is also need to increase expenditure on public healthcare, as India lags behind even Afghanistan on this count, said Dr Mehrotra.
India has around 1.8 million people suffering from cancer, with patients of breast, cervical and oral cancers topping the list. Every 13th new cancer patient in the world is an Indian. The NCI has organised a two-day international workshop for scientific journalism, aimed at media professionals, in association with Public Health Foundation of India and Institute of Cytology and Preventive Oncology (ICPO), Noida, on October 12 and 13. This is NCI's first such workshop in South Asia. Earlier, the institute had organised similar workshops in Brazil (2010), Mexico (2011), China (2012), Argentina (2012) and Puerto Rico (2013).
Preetha Rajaraman, programme director, NCI (South Asia), said there is need for global co-ordination to defeat cancer. "Every 13th new cancer patient in the world is an Indian. India has a huge capacity and strong media network. The aim is to train journalists so they can convey accurate messages to the public about prevention and treatment," Rajaraman said.
Peter F Garrett, director, NCI office of communications and public liaison (OCPL), said the workshop aims to strengthen understanding about various facts of cancer among the media community. "Media is a tool which can bridge the gap between medical practitioners and citizens. The workshop aims to enhance a journalist's understanding of cancer, and their ability to share this information with the public," Garrett said. NCI invited 30 journalists from print and electronic media to join the programme.
Dr Ravi Mehrotra, director, ICPO said tackling cancer is a serious challenge in India, as around 70-80% patients visit doctors when it is too late. "We feel preventive action is an essential for beating cancer," Mehrotra said.
Experts also observed there is immediate need of skilled manpower and many more cancer treatment centres. There are only 412 medical colleges in the country. There are also only 347 teletherapy units - where patients are treated using radiation - in the country, against a need of 1,059.
There is also need to increase expenditure on public healthcare, as India lags behind even Afghanistan on this count, said Dr Mehrotra.
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