Imphal: Manipur’s only state referral hospital, Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Science (JNIMS) hospital is pleading for more of staffs and beds, citing increasing number of cancer patients.

DM Clinical Hematology, JNIMS Dr. Anil Singh made this statement while addressing media persons on the sideline of a program on “awareness on blood cancer and interaction with blood cancer survivors “ as a part of World Blood Cancer day at lecture hall of the hospital. “Though there is a plan to establish a cancer hospital in the state, the need of the hour is to increase the staff in the hospital and to increase the number of beds in the hospital,” said the doctor of JNIMS.

Blood cancer which is known as a deadly disease is treatable if it is detected at an early stage and the method of treatment for cancer practice in the state is at par with the method of treatment practiced outside the state, informed the doctor.

While informing that the number of cancer patients admitted in the hospital is increasing, he said that the hospital could not treat all the patients due to insufficient patient’s bed and staff.

Under Chief Minister Gi Hakshelgi Tengbang (CMHT), a state health assurance scheme for the poor and disabled, launched by the chief minister of Manipur on January 21 last year) the hospital has treated around 57 cancer patients and 37 patients under Ayushmaan Bharat. Before the launch of the health scheme, the number of cancer patients was very less as people could not afford the medical expenditure.

 “Since last year the number of cancer patients admitted in the hospital is increasing and it is giving pressure to the doctors because there is no separate cancer treatment center as of now,” said Dr. Th. Bhimo Singh, the director of JNIMS. “Blood bank of the hospital is playing a vital role in the treatment of cancer patients,” the director added.

There are reported cases of almost one million blood cancer (Multiple Myeloma) cases per year in India. Persons over the age of 65 increase the chance of developing multiple myeloma but it is rare in younger person below 35 years. Men are more slightly more likely to develop multiple myeloma than women. An individual is four times more likely to have myeloma if the individual have a sibling or parent who has the condition.

Being overweight increases a person’s risk of having myeloma and exposure to radiation may increase the risk of multiple myeloma. Though multiple myeloma is incurable it is treatable with high dose chemotherapy along with stem cell transportation for patients below 70.