Cancer Awareness Week at JNMC, AMU
Aligarh: To reduce misinformation and stigma around different types of cancers and increase consciousness on the disease prevention, screening and treatment; a number of academic lectures and outreach programmes were held during the ‘Cancer Awareness Week’ at the Department of Surgery, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC), Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
“Cancer is one of the leading causes of deaths across the globe. It is imperative that all of us as individuals, governments, partners and civil society play their roles in a combined effort to achieve uninterrupted access to affordable, safe and effective cancer therapies for all,” said AMU Vice Chancellor, Prof Tariq Mansoor while congratulating the Department of Surgery for organising Cancer Awareness Week.
Speaking on the necessity of cost effective care in cancer treatment in the inaugural function, a renowned paediatrician of note in Aligarh, Dr Hameeda Tariq discussed how health care providers are increasingly adopting cost-effective care strategies, which focus on controlling expenses associated with different treatment methods and institutional operations without compromising the quality of patient care.
She also spoke on the health and the physical, psychological, social and economic issues affecting people after the end of the primary treatment for cancer.
Guests of Honour, Dr Joel Leroy (Colorectal surgeon and oncologist from Hanoi, Vietnam) and Dr Kumar Rishikesh (Medical oncologist, Apollo hospital, New Delhi) elaborated components of early detection of cancer such as early diagnosis and screening.
“Early diagnosis focuses on detecting symptomatic patients as early as possible, while screening consists of testing healthy individuals to identify those having cancers before any symptoms appear”, they added.
Prof Rakesh Bhargawa (Dean, faculty of Medicine) said: “One of the biggest challenges facing cancer prevention education is establishing a base of knowledge and understanding with patients. The awareness is required at the grassroots level—within the community—and it is necessary to open all lines of communication for patients to learn and ask questions”.
He was speaking on ‘Educating the Community towards Cancer’.
Prof Shahid A Siddiqui (Principal, JNMC) discussed the need to ‘close the gap’ in cancer care.
He said: “Raising awareness on both detection and prevention of cancer is vital to save lives. It is imperative to take people out of the myths and taboos to make sure that no vulnerable person that needs essential health services is left unattended to”.
Prof Afzal Anees (Chairman, Department of Surgery) pointed out, “Every single one of us has the ability to make a difference and together we need to play our part in creating a cancer free India. This cancer awareness campaign will ensure that our people, particularly the vulnerable, have the knowledge about disease”.
Dr Syed Aakif Faridi extended the vote of thanks.
In the week-long program; Prof Afzal Anees, Dr M Sadik Akhtar, Dr Shahbaz H Faridi and Dr Yusuf Afaque delivered academic lectures
Prof Afzal Anees, Prof MH Raza, Prof M Aslam, Prof S A A Rizvi, Prof S Hasan Harris, Prof Atia Z. Rab, Dr Wasif M Ali, Dr M Sadik Akhtar, Dr Shahbaz H Faridi, Dr Yusuf Afaque, Dr M Nafees and Dr S Aakif Faridi helped organising the poster-making competition, outreach camp, the session on the stories of cancer survivors and other activities during the observations.