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CANCER is CURABLE
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About 15 years ago, Ajaikumar started the Bangalore Institute of Oncology, moved by the pain of cancer patients and their caretakers
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Ajaikumar: `There has been a big revolution in cancer treatment.'
HE SAW an autorickshaw driver coming in with great pain, and a vision of very short and dark future. "But today, the young man is quite well and can look forward to a cancer-free future, thanks to the advancement in treatment and technology," says Ajaikumar, oncologist, who heads five cancer treatment centres in Karnataka.
"Cancer is now an illness like any other — it can be cured if diagnosed early, and now we have machines that can diagnose very early," he adds. When this alumnus of St. Joseph's High School and St. John's Medical College set out on his career, his eyes were set firmly on his future. He studied at the University of Virginia, had his fellowship in radiation and medical oncology at Houston's M.D. Anderson's Tumour Hospital, and finally started his own cancer centre at Burlington, Iowa State.
Easing situation
"But whenever I visited India, I used to see the pain and helplessness that patients and their caretakers went through. Kidwai was the only specialty cancer hospital, while there were thousands of patients waiting for treatment," recalls the man, in chaste Kannada, hardly showing any traces of his over two decades-long stay in America. Dr. Ajaikumar joined a group of specialists at Bangalore in 1989, and started the Bangalore Institute of Oncology (BIO), the only private cancer hospital at that point of time in the city.
"There has been a big revolution in cancer treatment — we are able to give better care, with almost no pain for the patients. People are living longer and in the U.S., 68 per cent of cancer patients die of other diseases!" reveals the doctor. "At BIO we have added a Linear Accelerator Diagnostic centre, which can help in detection within minutes, and in the computerised planning of surgery. Earlier, chemotherapy and radiation used to damage vast areas around the affected part, but now the treatment is accurate and definitive, and we even carry out non-surgical treatment with ease."
Diagnostic tests
But don't diagnostic tests come at a very heavy price, I ask, as one who has been very close to two cancer patients — one survives happily, the other could not be saved. (BIO offers a Positron Emission Tomography costing Rs.18,000 to Rs. 20,000 that gives a person's diagnosis in just 20 minutes.) The machine can see inside the metabolic process.
"Costs are a worrying factor, but in India, we can give world class treatment at Rs.40,000 when the same costs $40,000 in the U.S. We have tried to keep the prices as low as possible, we often waive our fees, and we do encourage people to make donations to treat the needy," says the man who is aware that there are a few unscrupulous people in the medical fraternity who prescribe expensive tests and get a commission on that.
Dr. Ajaikumar recently organised a seminar on Good Governance with Focus on Corruption in the City in his non-profit organisation, Praja Prabhuthva Jnana Andholana (PRAJNA). "Corruption is not specific to India, but here we see corruption at every strata, including in hospitals. Prajna works towards the eradication of corruption in society."
Dr. Ajai has his finger on the pulse of the society. As the Chairman of the International Human Development and Upliftment Academy (IHDUA) he works in Mullur village, Gundlupet taluk. "We've conducted hundreds of free cancer detection camps thinking we could eradicate cervical cancer. But we were shocked to find that women still came in with the cancer in an advanced stage... it took us time to understand that in rural areas, women cannot afford to take the day off from work. It was then that we started working more closely with the community and set up Bharat Charitable Cancer Hospital and Institute. BCCHI emphasises on preventive and rehabilitative aspects of health care," explains Dr. Ajai.
Dr. Ajai's other cancer care centres are Curie Centre of Oncology at Bangalore's St. John's Hospital Campus, and Malnad Hospital and Institute of Oncology, Shimoga. "It is easy to start a cancer hospital, but quite challenging to keep in step with developing technology and treatment. We want to start more units based on the BIO/Curie model."
"Cancer treatment has developed enormously, only people's attitude towards the illness has to change," says the doctor. And his family chips in by working in the Mullur school and hospital, whenever they are in India.
MALA KUMAR
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