Daijiworld Media Network - Aizawl
Aizawl, Mar 2: Mizoram has recorded the highest cancer incidence and mortality rates in the country, with Aizawl district reporting an age-adjusted incidence rate of 269.4 per one lakh men, health officials said on Sunday.
A senior official from the Health and Family Welfare Department stated that stomach and lung cancers are the leading causes in the state, largely driven by high tobacco and betel nut consumption, dietary habits and genetic factors.
The official said the Mizoram government signed an Externally Aided Project loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank on January 23 for the project titled “Supporting Public Health Care System Strengthening to Achieve Universal Healthcare for Mizoram,” popularly known as the Mizoram Universal Healthcare Scheme (MUHCS).
He added that the World Bank-funded Mizoram Health Systems Strengthening Project has been successfully implemented and is expected to conclude by March 2026. Under this initiative, the Mizoram State Super Speciality Cancer and Research Centre is being established in Aizawl under the Health and Family Welfare Department.
Addressing a function in Aizawl on Saturday, State Health and Family Welfare Minister Lalrinpuii expressed concern that Mizoram has one of the highest cancer incidence rates in India relative to its population. She noted that even the Director of Tata Memorial Hospital had remarked on the unusually high number of cancer cases among Mizos.
The minister said experts attribute the high cancer burden to extensive use of tobacco products, unhealthy dietary practices including excessive consumption of smoked meat, pork fat and oils, and lifestyle-related factors. She pointed out that breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in India, followed by cervical cancer.
Highlighting that 99.7 per cent of cervical cancer cases are caused by Human Papillomavirus (HPV), she described the free vaccination programme as a crucial preventive step and urged all eligible 14-year-old girls to receive the vaccine. She also appreciated the dedication of healthcare workers across all levels of the department.
Mizoram Chief Secretary Khilli Ram Meena, speaking at the same event, said that one out of every five cervical cancer patients globally is from India. He termed the free vaccination drive for adolescent girls a vital and timely intervention, noting that screening rates among women in the state remain low.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched the nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Campaign for 14-year-old girls to prevent cervical cancer. The programme was launched virtually across all states and union territories from Ajmer.