New Delhi, BRS Rajya Sabha member B Parthasaradhi Reddy on Thursday urged the government to address the rising issues related to cancer as a national priority and take measures to deal with the issue, which has silently become a major public health emergency.
Expressing concern over the growing cancer crisis in the country during Zero Hour at Home, he said the number of cancer cases in India is rising sharply every year due to delay in detection, lack of routine screening and low level of awareness among the masses.
“I rise to draw the urgent attention of the government to the fast-growing cancer-related issues in the country, which is silently turning into a major public health emergency,” Reddy said.
Amid the rapidly increasing number of patients suffering from cancer across India, there is an urgent need for more medical, surgical and radiation oncologists, he said.
“Most of the advanced centers are located in cities like Delhi, Bombay and Hyderabad, and cancer-related patients, especially from rural India, have to travel long distances to receive treatment,” he said.
He added that millions of families, especially middle and middle-income groups, are exposed to financial hardship due to the extremely high cost of treating cancer-related diseases.
To address this problem, the BRS member asked the government to ensure accessibility and affordability of all life-saving oncology drugs, launch a national mass cancer screening mission, and design a policy to support and encourage non-profit hospitals by providing grants in aid for expensive surgical and diagnostic equipment.
“I therefore request the government to treat this issue as a national priority and take immediate action in this regard, sir. Stop the evil in the bud,” Reddy said.
Another BRS member, KR Suresh Reddy, demanded a ban on the herbicide paraquat dichloride due to serious health and environmental risks.
He said that this herbicide, which is used to control weeds, poisons the soil, water and air, and negatively affects the agricultural community.
He added that Paraquat Dichloride is easily available in all pesticide stores in our country, including online platforms.
There are reportedly 100 suicide deaths in Telangana alone and around 1,000 suicide deaths in India every month due to consumption of paraquat dichloride, the BRS MP said while demanding a ban.
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