Shillong: Since Northeast India is considered the ‘cancer capital’ of India, the Department of Surgical Oncology, in association with the departments of Oncology and Community Medicine, NEIGHRIMS organised a Continuing Medical Education(CME) programme on cancer awareness to commemorate World Cancer Day which is celebrated on February 4 every year. The programme was attended by over 200 doctors and students of the institute.
David Umdor, Deputy Director(Admin) said that the administration was focussing on improving facilities to treat cancer in NEIGRIHMS and said that the Regional Cancer Centre construction is underway. Vandana Raphael, Director in charge and Dean stressed on the need for students to be aware of cancer.
Pankaj Chaturvedi, Professor of Head and Neck Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, addressed the gathering via teleconferencing and stressed on the preventable cancers, which accounted for two-thirds of all cancers, and the need to create awareness about the ill-effects of tobacco, arecanut, alcohol and obesity.
