Nagpur, February 14 (IANS). Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday stressed the need to focus not only on treatment but also prevention and early diagnosis to effectively deal with cancer.
Addressing the inaugural session of the global conference ‘Oncology Beyond Borders’ organized by the National Cancer Institute, Chief Minister Fadnavis said that cancer cases have increased significantly in the last decade, making it one of the biggest challenges faced by the healthcare system.
He said that although India has made great progress in healthcare, cancer still remains a major concern at the national and global level.
The Chief Minister said that no disease knows borders or socio-economic status. In such a situation, it is our responsibility to come together, exchange ideas and find solutions beyond the boundaries.
He further said that conferences like ‘Oncology Beyond Borders’ provide an important platform for collaboration, knowledge-sharing and innovation in cancer care.
He said that institutions like National Cancer Institute are playing an important role in providing advanced treatments, which is benefiting the patients not only in India but also in other countries.
He also highlighted the Maha Cancer Foundation established in Maharashtra, which aims to develop a statewide cancer care network based on a hub-and-spoke model to ensure access to quality treatment.
The Chief Minister stressed the importance of research, innovation and greater use of medical technology, biotechnology and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the outcomes of cancer detection and treatment.
He said that early diagnosis and technological advances are of utmost importance to improve cancer survival rates and reduce its overall burden.
–IANS
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