Shillong, Feb 5: The Meghalaya government is encouraging cancer patients to seek treatment locally rather than travelling to distant places and incurring heavy expenditure.
‘One message that has to go out to the public — you don’t need to go too far. You can take the treatment in your own state,’ Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh stressed on Wednesday. The government is maintaining close ties with institutions like the Guwahati Medical College (GMC), B Borooah Cancer Institute, and the North East Cancer Institute to ensure accessible care for low-income groups.
What the health minister is implying is to make healthcare more affordable and reduce the burden on patients who would otherwise need to travel long distances for treatment.
To further promote cancer awareness, the government has increased expenditures on public advertisements and is collaborating with church and community forums, as well as health organizations. This inclusive approach aims to reduce fear and stigma surrounding cancer diagnoses. “Today, when someone is diagnosed with cancer, the immediate deep fear is no longer there because people know that the state and the nation are capable of addressing cancer treatment,” Lyngdoh remarked.
Lyngdoh said the state is also strengthening collaborations with regional healthcare institutions such as the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) for cancer treatment. Committees have been established to facilitate information sharing and patient referrals. Lyngdoh emphasized NEIGRIHMS’s capacity for specialized cancer surgeries and its state-of-the-art operating facilities.
Undaunted by rising cancer cases, Meghalaya is positioning itself as a state capable of providing comprehensive, accessible cancer care. With enhanced infrastructure, strategic partnerships, and public awareness campaigns, the state government hopes to alleviate the burden of cancer on its population and foster trust in local healthcare systems.
Cancer cases are rising at an alarming rate in Meghalaya, placing it ahead of the national average in terms of cancer incidence.
The health minister said the state’s growing health crisis, citing data from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) that revealed 176 cancer cases per one lakh population, with the East Khasi Hills recording a staggering 227 cases per one lakh population. The national average stands at approximately 100 cases per one lakh population.
In response to this serious health challenge, the government of Meghalaya is taking proactive measures to bolster cancer treatment facilities and improve healthcare accessibility. “The government is committed to combating cancer alongside attending to other non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, heart, kidney, and liver disorders,” Lyngdoh told reporters.
One of the state’s major treatment centres, the Shillong Civil Hospital, saw 8,382 outdoor cancer patients in 2024, including 1,649 new cases. Out of these patients, 456 required radiotherapy. Recognizing the need for expanded capacity, the hospital’s cancer wing has been upgraded from 50 beds to 90 beds, with plans underway to further increase capacity to 200 beds.
The shortage of specialized medical personnel is a challenge the state government is actively addressing. “We are sending doctors for specialized training so they can return and help address the shortfall in our system,” said the health minister.
