Jharsuguda: A dawn to dusk 12-hour bandh in Brajarajnagar block in Jharsuguda district over demand for the establishment of a cancer hospital severely crippled normal life in the town Wednesday.
The bandh is being observed by the members of Sachetan Nagarika Mancha. Pressing for their demands, the members of the outfit were seen picketing in front of several offices since morning.
Markets, business establishments, educational institutions, and government offices have remained closed in view of the bandh. Vehicular movement has also been affected due to the bandh. However, emergency services have been exempted from the purview of the bandh.
The agitators threatened to intensify their protest if their demand is not fulfilled at the earliest. The district administration has tightened the security arrangement to thwart any untoward incident.
A large number of cancer cases are reported in the state every year with more than 60 per cent being from western Odisha; majority of them are from Jharsuguda and Bargarh district. As per government records, the district has a large number of cancer patients.
The growing incidence of cancer is attributed to heavy use of pesticides in farming and agriculture.
Similarly, as most of the netizens are from farming background, the financial condition of the people is also not sound. Cost of treatment being high, many people cannot afford it. Under the circumstances, if a cancer hospital is set up here in the Brajarajnagar, the people of the region will be able to avail treatment at a less cost, the agitators said.
“Since Brajarajanagar reports the highest number of cancer patients, we request the CM to set up the cancer treatment and research hospital here. We also appeal to the members of various social organisations and people of the district to extend support to the cause,” the memorandum submitted by the agitators read.
Earlier, the heath and family welfare department had assured the people to set up a dedicated cancer care hospital in the district, but no steps have been taken so far. Once set up, this would be the second such facility in the state after Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre in Cuttack.
The state government has already decided to set up a 100-bed superspecialty cardiac care hospital in Jharsuguda. A memorandum of understanding has already been signed with Care Hospitals to execute the project. This project will be executed in public-private-partnership mode.
Besides the proposed cancer care hospital project, the government also operates non-communicable-disease cells to treat cancer at around 15 district headquarters hospitals of the state. At these centres, the patients get chemotherapy and costly cancer drugs free of cost.
“We request the CM to set up a dedicated cancer care hospital. There are a number of private hospitals treating cancer, but it is not possible for everyone to afford the high cost of treatment,” said the activists.
PNN