The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — In a significant leap forward in the fight against gastrointestinal cancers, the Department of Minimal Access and General Surgery at Government Medical College Srinagar spearheaded the inaugural Luminal Malignancy Day on Thursday.

Collaborating with the Department of Radiation and Medical Oncology, this milestone event underscored the institution's commitment to advancing treatment options and raising awareness for luminal malignancies.

Led by the esteemed Professor Iqbal Saleem Mir, Head of the Department of Surgery, the day showcased a series of groundbreaking surgeries utilizing cutting-edge laparoscopic techniques. These procedures, targeting various gastrointestinal malignancies, highlighted the faculty's expertise and dedication to providing minimally invasive yet highly effective treatment options.

The Luminal Malignancy Day served as a nexus for interdisciplinary collaboration, uniting experts from surgery, radiation oncology, medical oncology, and the Department of Anaesthesia. This collaborative effort ensures patients receive comprehensive care tailored to their individual needs, from diagnosis to treatment and beyond.

Attendees witnessed live demonstrations of laparoscopic procedures, offering firsthand insight into the precision and innovation driving modern surgical techniques. Professor Iqbal Saleem Mir expressed gratitude to all faculty members, staff, and participants whose collective efforts propelled the Luminal Malignancy Day to resounding success.

Principal of Government Medical College Srinagar, Professor Iffat Hassan Shah, hailed the initiative as a significant milestone in addressing the challenges posed by gastrointestinal cancers. She emphasized the importance of collaboration across specialities in providing comprehensive and state-of-the-art care to patients.

Government Medical College Srinagar reaffirmed its commitment to leading the charge against cancer, aiming to enhance outcomes and quality of life for those affected by luminal malignancies. With an unwavering dedication to medical innovation, the institution stands as a beacon of hope for individuals and families confronting cancer.

SRINAGAR — Despite the increasing number of cancer cases in Kashmir Valley, there is a severe shortage of PET-CT scan machines for staging and assessing treatment responses. With only one such machine available at SKIMS Soura, patients at GMC Srinagar face several challenges in accessing timely and accurate cancer diagnostics.

GMC Srinagar, where around 7,000 new cancer cases were registered, is functioning without a PET Scan machine that is used for the detection of cancer and the evaluation of cancer treatment.

Oncologists informed the news agency KNO that in the modern-day practice of oncology, PET-CT has emerged as a game-changer in the management of cancer but the valley has just a single such machine.

Dr Shabnam, an oncologist, said there is just one PET Scan machine available at SKIMS Soura and there is a need for more such machines in the valley.

Another oncologist, Dr Aijaz, said PET Scan constitutes a major advancement in the initial diagnosis, evaluation, treatment, prognosis, surveillance, and relapse throughout the disease.

PET-CT is an acronym for Positron Emission Tomography – Computed Tomography, which is nuclear medicine equipment that houses a PET scanner and a CT scanner, to acquire multiple sequential views to create 3D images of the body. This modality provides a hybrid image formed by the fusion of the functional image of PET and the anatomical image of CT.

Doctors said there is an immediate need for such a facility at GMC Srinagar as cancer cases in Kashmir are on the rise and such patients have no options other than to visit SKIMS Soura.

They said patients have to wait for a long time to get their turn, which isn't easy for such patients while some are visiting outside Kashmir for diagnosis and treatment.

The medical experts said the majority of the patients cannot afford to visit private clinics or outside the valley, thereby delaying their diagnosis and treatment, which is very essential for the treatment of cancer.

“PET-CT is helping doctors to work out the best treatment and helps to detect primary sites, thereby influencing the choice of chemotherapy," they said, adding, "It would be in the interest of the community as well as for better healthcare facilities if the PET Scan facility will be made available at SMHS Hospital.”

As per the details available, around 45,000 new cancer cases have been registered at SKIMS Soura since 2013, while around 7,000 cancer cases have been registered at GMC Srinagar since 2017.

According to the Union Health Ministry data, 51,577 cases of cancer were reported in J&K in the last four years (2019-2022) with 12,396 in 2019, 12,726 cases in 2020, 13,060 cases in 2021, and 13,395 cases in 2022.

A total of 35,623 people in J&K died with cancer between the years 2018 and 2022 that is 6824 cancer patients were reported to have died in 2018; in 2019, 7003 deaths were reported; in 2020, 7189 deaths were reported; in 2021, 7211 deaths were reported; and in 2022, 7396 cancer patient fatalities were reported.

A 2012 study by the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) attributed the rising cancer incidence to “dietary practices and lifestyle choices” as well as the intake of foods with high salt content.

SRINAGAR — Citing the new laws being governed in Jammu and Kashmir after the re-organization of the State of J&K into Union Territory, J&K Government has disengaged 93 paramedical staff who had been engaged on an academic arrangement basis at Government Medical College Srinagar.

Principal, Government Medical College Srinagar has issued an order which states that 93 paramedical staffers who have completed six years term on an academic arrangement basis and do not have any interim relief or direction from any court of law for their continuation in this institution are hereby disengaged with immediate effect.

The disengaged staff had earlier filed several writ petitions and they even got relief from the court that directed the authorities to allow them to continue in the department, however, with the implementation of the ‘Reorganization Act’, the matter went to Tribunal and later the Division Bench of the High Court while dismissing petitions from the aggrieved staff vacated all interim directions.

Principal Government Medical College in the order has stated that after the dismissal of the writ petitions by the High Court, the J&K Service Selection Board started to recommend selection lists against the notified posts of this institution and thus in light of this background and in view of the selections being recommended by SSRB for various categories of paramedical posts, the matter was examined and it was observed that there is no justification in continuing with those incumbents on academic arrangement basis, who have completed maximum permissible extended term up to six years and do not have any interim relief or direction from any court of law.

“After due deliberations, it was decided to immediately disengage 93 paramedical employees whose maximum permissible extended term up to six years have completed on academic arrangement basis,” he said.

SRINAGAR — The government on Thursday appointed Prof Dr. Masood Tanvir as Principal of Government Medical College Srinagar.

According to an order, as per the news agency KNO, Dr. Masood Tanvir Bhat, Professor & HoD Medicine, Government Medical College, Srinagar has been appointed as Principal, Government Medical College, Srinagar with effect from November 3, 2022.

Notably, in November 2022, Dr. Masood Tanvir was given charge of Principal GMC Srinagar on a temporary basis after the superannuation of former Principal Samia Rashid.

SRINAGAR — The Government of Jammu and Kashmir led by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday accorded sanction to the creation of the Department of Hospital Administration in Government Medical Colleges of Srinagar and Jammu.

“Sanction is hereby accorded to the creation of the Department of Hospital Administration in Government Medical Colleges of Srinagar and Jammu in tune with the National Medical Commission (erstwhile Medical Council of India) and National Board of Examination (NBE) guidelines,” reads an order authenticated by Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, Principal Secretary to Government H&ME Department.

Notably, the sanction is in sync with Administrative Council Decision number 97/7/2022; dated July 07, 2022.