World Cancer day: Awareness the bigger concern

World Cancer Day is celebrated every year on 4th of February all over the world to commemorate all the efforts done by the WHO, United Nations, governmental and non governmental health organizations towards making the strategy to fight against cancer as well as distributing the real message about this epidemic disease and its treatments including its precautionary measures by uniting all the people a day on global basis. To spread the special messages about the cancer awareness and its prevention, the leading health organizations as well as nongovernmental organizations takes part by organizing the camps, awareness programs, rallies, lectures, seminars and etc. Variety of control measures policies are recommended but very few are implemented in Jammu & Kashmir where “Cancer Society of Kashmir” a non governmental organization (NGO) has been on the forefront in holding awareness programs, seminars and lectures on the control required to faces the challenges of the spread of this deadly disease in the state. Public reachout is the motive of awareness initiative as the messages are spread and shared to get more control over the cancer. This event is celebrated every year by using a particular theme to make this event more result oriented among people. According to the report, people (of low and middle income group) with various types of cancer and death ratios per year are liver cancer/6,10,000, lung cancer/1.3 million, colorectal cancer/6,39,000, stomach cancer/8,03,000, breast cancer/5,19,000 and etc. During the awareness programs, people are targeted to let them know about the risk factors causing the cancer such as tobacco use, overweight or obese, low fruit or vegetable intake, less or no physical activity, alcohol use, sexual transmission of HPV-infection, urban areas air pollution, indoor smoke, genetically risk factors, over exposure to sunlight and etc. People also get aware about the vaccination methods against the human papilloma virus and hepatitis B virus. Lung Cancer is the most common malignancy found in Kashmir Valley. While breast is the most malignancy noted in females , the lung cancer occurrence is high among males.
Highest cancer cases registered in the regional cancer centre belongs to district Srinagar and least ones from hilly district Shopian in South Kashmir. The obvious reasons for the unprecedented rise in the spread of this deadly disease in the Jammu & Kashmir is stated to be tobacco smoking which is very common in Kashmir valley. According to survey more than 30% of cancer deaths could be prevented by avoiding high risk factors particularly tobacco use more rampant in Kashmir valley than Jammu region and Ladhak union territory. Another survey on cancer has said that early detection, accurate diagnosis and effective treatment, including pain relief and Palliative Care, help increase cancer survival rates and reduce the chances of death within short spans of time. The 2020 deadline set for prevention and control of non communicable diseases by the World Health Organization (WHO) aims to reduce premature mortality from cancers by 25% and as such the people have to follow the guidelines of the World Health Organisation issued from time to time. Awareness programs by both governmental and non governmental heath organizations on diet, physical fitness and influences of the consumption of tobacco and alcohol can by all standards of understanabilities reduce the risk of the occurrence of the cancer in Jammu & Kashmir.