New Delhi: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Prasanna Acharya Friday urged the Union government to constitute a team of experts to study the causes of cancer in Bargarh district of Odisha.
The BJD MP said in the Rajya Sabha that Odisha is one of the states having most number of cancer patients. He also urged that the expert team should also find out the remedial measures to curb cancer in different zones.
“Bargarh district, which contributes 30 per cent of state’s paddy production, is heavily reeling under the problem of cancer. According to a survey, mostly the low-income group farmers are afflicted by cancer due to heavy use of pesticides and fertilisers,” he said.
The BJD parliamentarian said that Odisha government has decided to set up a cancer hospital at Bargarh. He urged the Union government to extend financial and technical support to this project.
He said that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has revealed that in 2019, 17 lakh people have been affected by cancer out of which seven lakh may not survive beyond 2021. “Most of the cancer patients belong to low-income group. According to an estimate, a minimum of Rs 37,000 or more is being spent per year for a cancer patient. Due to financial constraints, sixty per cent of the Indian families with a cancer patient become heavily indebted. Our country, on an average, lose around 670 crore dollars which, which constitute a sizeable portion of our GDP,” Acharya added.
