“People have lost their sight and their hearing,” said Ramdev.
Panaji:
Yoga guru Ramdev claimed on Saturday that cancer cases in the country increased after the COVID-19 pandemic, but medical experts said there was no link between the two and that the rise in cases was a normal phenomenon.
The number of cancer cases is rising by five percent every two years and that has nothing to do with the pandemic, a renowned oncologist said.
Ramdev made the remark while speaking before an early morning gathering at Miramar beach in Goa, where his Patanjali Yog Samiti had organized a yoga camp.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was also present with him on stage.
“Cancer has increased enormously. The number of cases of this disease has increased after the COVID-19 pandemic. People have lost their sight and their hearing…” he said.
But renowned oncologist and former head of Goa Unit of Indian Medical Association, Dr Shekhar Salkar, said that cancer incidence is increasing with the increase in population around the world.
Every two years there is a five percent increase in cases, he said.
“Cancer cases will not disappear. But at the same time, you cannot attribute it to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr Salkar, who is also the head of the Goa BJP’s medical cell.
Without mentioning Ramdev, he said, “Celebrities should make statements responsibly as people have faith in their words.” India has 104 cancer patients per lakh of population, up from 85 patients per lakh in 2018, Dr Salkar noted.
“But at the same time, we are much better than the US, where the number exceeds 500 patients per lakh,” he added.
India could surpass the US cancer rate if we don’t correct our lifestyles, he said.
Dr. Shredharan N, a surgical oncologist, also said that a five percent increase in the number of cancer patients is a normal occurrence.
“There is no data to say that cancer has increased after the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NewsMadura staff and is being published from a syndicated feed.)
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