Tobacco causes 75 per cent of Cancer cases in West Bengal

Hyderabad, May 31, 2022: Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Indian Medical Association (WB), and Indian Dental Association (WB) in collaboration with Medica Superspecialty Hospital, the largest private hospital chain in Eastern India observed World No Tobacco Day at Uttam Mancha. The event was inaugurated by Firhad Hakim, MIC, Govt. of West Bengal & Hon’ble Mayor, KMC in the presence of eminent Chief Guest  Atin Ghosh, MLA, Deputy Mayor & MMIC (Health), KMC, and special guest of honor,  Mala Roy, MP, Chairperson, KMC. Also present at the event were Dr. Santanu Sen, MP, Past National President &State Secretary, IMA, Advisor, Health Dept., KMC,  Debashish Kumar, MLA, MMIC, KMC, Dr. M.A Kasem, President, IMA, Bengal State, Dr. Subrata Roychowdhury, CMHO, KMC, and Dr. Alok Roy, Chairman, Medica Group. The entire event was organized by Dr. Sourav Datta, Director, Medica Cancer Hospital, Treasurer IMA Bengal State, and Dr. Raju Biswas, Secretary IDA Bengal state.
The hour-long program took the attendees through the health and other issues associated with tobacco consumption in any form, while also advocating for effective steps to eliminate tobacco use globally, as it kills approximately 8 million people globally each year.
 
In the presence of the chief guests and the entire Medica oncology team, Firhad Hakim, MIC, Govt. of West Bengal and Mayor, KMC stated, "Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. They are, however, easily detectable using screening techniques. Given the impact of tobacco use on young adults, it is critical to understand what factors influence the initiation process during adolescence. Though we have prohibited tobacco advertising and regulation in India under the COTPA Act of the Indian Parliament, it is extremely necessary for all of us to come together and eliminate tobacco use in our city in order to reduce the risk of cancer. We at KMC will continue to serve the people of our city to the best of our abilities under the able leadership of our Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. While the number of cancer cases is increasing daily, it is also curable if detected early. Let us all join to make Kolkata a cancer-free city.”
 
Besides, Dr. Santanu Sen, MP, Past National President & State Secretary, IMA, Advisor, Health Dept., KMC, mentioned, "The Indian Medical Association has always looked forward to implementing measures for improving public health and medical education in India. On this occasion of World No Tobacco Day, we propose holding free cancer screening camps in each Borough of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, in collaboration with the Indian Dental Association (IDA). Medica Oncology department will play a significant role in this initiative by providing their specialized team of doctors and nurses to perform free breast, cervical, and oral cancer screenings of the patients. These camps will benefit not only current cancer patients but also those who suspect cancer due to a variety of symptoms.”
 
Atin Ghosh, MLA, Deputy Mayor & MMIC (Health), KMC, said, “We are pleased to collaborate with IMA, IDA, and Medica Superspecialty Hospital for these screening camps.  We can assure everyone that the Corporation's Health department will continue to actively participate in the entire screening camp on a monthly basis. We will fight this cancer together and make our City of Joy cancer-free."
 
The impact of tobacco on cancer is substantial. Smoke from cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and all other forms of tobacco has at least 70 chemicals that can cause cancer. Lung cancer, for which tobacco is the primary risk factor, is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women. However, apart from just lung cancer, tobacco use can cause cancer almost anywhere in our body, including Oral, Cervical, head and neck cancers, leukemia, and cancers of the esophagus, bladder, pancreas, kidney, liver, stomach, colorectum, cervix, uterus, and ovaries. To live a healthy lifestyle, all forms of tobacco must be avoided. Tobacco use, along with other factors, is contributing to an increase in cancer cases worldwide
 
Dr. Raju Biswas, President Dental Council (WB) and Secretary, Indian Dental Association (WB), stated, “Through our activities in education, research, and the creation of high standards for dental care in India, we at IDA are committed to enhancing public oral health by supporting advanced, science-based dentistry that puts the patient first. Tobacco use has been harming the overall oral and dental health, which can lead to cancer in some cases. These screening camps will almost probably lower the number of cancer cases owing to early detection and treatment. All thanks to our Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and KMC for coming up with this thoughtful initiative to spread more awareness about cancer and above all, for making this happen in Kolkata.”
 
Talking about the initiative, Dr. Alok Roy, Member of the FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, averred, “The initiative's objective is to add many more healthy years to each person's life by offering accurate and preventative cancer screening services by Medica Superspecialty Hospital. Screening, as we all know, is extremely effective in the prevention and early detection of breast cancer, cervical cancer, and oral cancer. All patients who come to Medica after being screened by our doctors at the Borough office can receive free mammography, oral biopsy, and pap smears. All thanks to our Hon'ble Mayor, KMC Shri Firhad Hakim, KMC, IDA, and IMA for choosing us for such a noble initiative while also taking the time to attend and make this occasion a success. At Medica, our clinical team is extremely committed to bringing in this initiative and I am certain that all our continued efforts will reach and help everyone who suspects cancer.”
 
The program coordinator of the event, Dr. Sourav Datta, Director, Medica Cancer Hospital and Treasurer IMA Bengal State said, “The more cigarettes we smoke a day, the higher is our risk of cancer. So, stopping the entire habit of smoking and not indulging in any tobacco products can be a good first step to getting rid of cancer. The once-a-month cancer screening camps in the Borough will be organized to diagnose the three most commonly occurring cancers in India: breast, cervical and oral cancer. Together, they account for approximately 35% of all cancers in India. These screening camps will aid in the detection of cancer at an early stage when treatment is more likely to be effective and survival rates are substantially higher.”
 
Medica Superspecialty Hospital, which is widely recognized for its excellence in every department, has always believed in raising awareness and developing solutions to promote a well-being-oriented society. The preservation and improvement of one's health have always been a top priority for Medica.
 
Together with KMC, IMA, and IDA, Medica Superspecialty Hospital will strive to make Kolkata a Cancer-free city.