India faces acute shortage of cancer
specialists, only one doctor available for every 2,500 patients
Every
year nearly 5,00,000 people die of cancer in India, but there are only 1,600
cancer specialists in the country, according to the alarming statistics coming
from the Union Health Ministry. What's worse is that a 20 per cent surge in
cancer cases is expected by the end of the decade.
Across
the medical profession, the doctor patient ratio is abysmally low throughout
the country but especially glaring in cancer care. Dr SH Advani, one of India's
top oncologists who pioneered the stem cell transplant in the 1970s, still sees
around 80 to 100 patients a day. In America, doctors don't see more than 10
patients a day.
"I
think the shortage has been basically because we started in oncology very late.
About 40 years ago, when I entered this branch, there were hardly about 100
people all over India, only 100 people. And it's only last 15 years or so, that
organised training is available in many centres. So every year, we are adding
only 50 specialists, while the deficit is huge," Dr Advani said.
Currently
there is one doctor for 2,500 cancer patients. Every year, India is adding only
15 surgical cancer specialists and 25 medicine oncologists. Experts estimate
that three times as many are needed. Gynaecological cancer cases are seeing a
huge spurt, but there are only 30 specialists in the country to treat these
cases. These doctors are concentrated primarily in the metros.
It
is no surprise that 80 per cent of cancer patients get medical help very late,
when cure or treatment is rare. "I think the best solution is to increase
the centre of excellence in cancer so that people get attracted to this
branch," Dr Advani said.
Currently,
there are only 15 cancer centres in the country. Though the Health Ministry has
announced setting up of 20 new cancer hospitals across the country over the
next few years, it is going to be a race against time.
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