Meghalaya emerges as ‘Cancer Capital’ of India

SHILLONG, Meghalaya: Ram Kumar, Additional Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Meghalaya, and Mission Director, National Health Mission (NHM), has highlighted the problem of increasing tobacco consumption in the state while speaking on the occasion of World Tobacco Day.

Kumar, while referring to the data, said that tobacco consumption in the youth aged between 13 to 15 stands at 34 per cent, while among the population aged 15 and above, it stood at a massive 47 per cent. He highlighted that the state has become the cancer capital of India as far as Esophagus, Nose, Lungs and Throat cancer is concerned.

He also highlighted the importance of introducing lifestyle changes, early cancer detection facilities and awareness initiatives regarding the harmful effects caused by the consumption of tobacco products at the individual and community level and on our environment.

This year, the Department of Education and Health, and Sambandh Health Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), are jointly observing World Tobacco Day in more than 8000 schools of Meghalaya under the theme “Protect the environment”.

P Sampath Kumar, Principal Secretary (Health), Government of Meghalaya said “Our people are being consumed by tobacco, and youngsters are the easy prey. The average life expectancy in Meghalaya is 62.3 years, which is lower than the national average of 68.8 years (WHO, 2018). In terms of cancer prevalence among men, our state is ranked second in the country, while it is placed at 11th in terms of cancer incidences among women (ICMR-NCDIR, 2021).”