Jammu, Feb 13: A total of 32,425 cancer cases have been reported in Jammu and Kashmir over the past three years, with lung, breast, oral, cervical, prostate, and pancreatic cancers being the most commonly detected types, the government informed the Legislative Assembly on Friday.
The Health & Medical Education Department shared the data in a written reply to a question raised by Pulwama MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Para regarding treatment of terminal diseases.
According to the reply, Jammu Division recorded 6,804 cancer cases over the last three years — 2,036 in 2023, 2,187 in 2024, and 2,581 in 2025. In Kashmir Division, 25,621 cases were reported during 2022–2024 — 8,021 in 2022, 8,621 in 2023, and 8,979 in 2024. The total number of cancer cases reported across Jammu and Kashmir stood at 10,657 in 2023 and 11,166 in 2024.
The government stated that no uncommon diseases of major public health significance have been reported from any specific district.
Highlighting measures for prevention and early detection, the government said comprehensive cancer care services are being provided at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, and the State Cancer Institute (SCI) at Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu. These institutes offer medical, surgical, and radiation oncology services, along with advanced diagnostic facilities, including PET-CT, CT scan, MRI, and other specialized services.
Awareness and screening programmes are being conducted through outpatient services and health camps, alongside the implementation of the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NPCDCS). Specialized oncology services are currently available at Government Medical Colleges in Jammu and Srinagar, while such services are not yet available at district hospitals or Community Health Centres (CHCs). The PET scan facility is currently available only at SKIMS, Soura, and not at GMC Srinagar or its associated hospitals.
Additionally, the government informed that two NABL-accredited Food Testing Laboratories are functional in Jammu and Srinagar, though both are facing staff shortages, with 11 posts vacant in each laboratory out of 19 sanctioned positions.
The issue was discussed in the Assembly as part of broader deliberations on terminal diseases and cancer care facilities in Jammu and Kashmir. (Agencies)
