more-in The scientific community should take up a comprehensive study and find out as to why cancer is spreading at such a fast rate, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said. He added that cancer was known to be there earlier too, but the spread of the disease then was not at the present level. Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Cochin Cancer Research Centre (CCRC) at Kalamassery, Mr. Vijayan said there were definitely certain aspects of modern life that needed to be understood scientifically. He emphasised that preventive methods gained focus even as better hospitals were required to take care of patients. “Lifestyles could be affecting the changes. While healthy food could be the key aspect, infusion of chemical components in agricultural produce and hotel menu needs a re-look too. The government, on its part, is making all efforts to make good raw and cooked food available to people,” the Chief Minister said. Mr. Vijayan observed that the need for a modern cancer treatment centre in central Kerala had gained significance because of the rising numbers of patients. He recalled the contributions of late V.R. Krishna Iyer who had spearheaded a campaign for a cancer centre in Kochi. The Chief Minister also released the government’s Cancer Control Strategy booklet at the function. Taking a dig at the previous UDF government, Mr. Vijayan said the CCRC would not become a project that would be given up lost after laying the foundation stone. For the record, the foundation stone for the cancer centre was laid in 2014. He also promised that the construction would be completed in two years. Presiding over the function, Minister for Health K.K. Shylaja said cancer treatment would be taken up by hospitals under the Health Services too. “The government is focusing on early cancer detection and beefing up treatment facilities locally too. It is a fight against the disease which is said to be affecting 50,000 people every year in the State,” she said. Minister for Education C. Ravindranath was the chief guest. Additional Chief Secretary Rajeev Sadanandan gave an outline of the cancer strategy document. District Collector K. Mohammed Y. Safirulla welcomed the gathering. Critic M.K. Sanu, Dr. V.P. Gangadharan, MLAs Ibrahim Kunju, Hibi Eden, Anwar Sadat, K.J. Maxi, and John Fernandes, RCC director Dr. Paul Sebastian, and CCRC Director Dr. Moni Abraham Kuriakose spoke.

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