BIHAR : Every month, Dr Sunil Kumar travels nearly 1,000 kilometres to give medical advice to cancer patients. He offers free consultation, free accommodation, and even arranges travel for poor patients who need to go to the country’s noted health facility—the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi (AIIMS-Delhi)—for further treatment. His effort to provide treatment in their home state instead of sending them to the national capital has become a boon for hundreds of cancer patients in Bihar and neighbouring states.
Dr Kumar, 50, is the head of the department of Cancer Surgery at AIIMS-Delhi. He is a native of Rohtas district in Bihar. On the first Saturday of every month, he visits Narayan Medical College and Hospital in Jamuar near Dehri-on-Sone in Rohtas district. There, he treats cancer patients free of cost. On average, 50 to 60 patients visit the medical college campus during each visit to seek his advice.
The number of cancer patients has increased sharply in Bihar. Though this trend is seen across the country, the rise in Bihar and neighbouring Jharkhand is a matter of concern for both the government and social organisations. If needed, Dr Kumar also performs minor surgeries at the college to prevent further trouble for patients.
To spread awareness, Dr Kumar has formed a core team of seven to eight members. The team mostly works in rural areas. Their aim
is to inform people about the symptoms of cancer, so that the disease can be detected at an early stage. The team also works with healthcare workers at government-run primary health centres and sub-divisional hospitals to identify possible cases. These health workers have been given training.
Dr Kumar said that members of the core team belong to families that have either lost someone to cancer or have members undergoing treatment. They come from different walks of life and have chosen to take care of cancer patients they may not know. At times, they contribute from their daily earnings to help patients who cannot afford treatment.
He has set up an organisation, Chandrakanti Devi Cancer Foundation, which manages work at the grassroots level. Dr Kumar completed his MBBS and Master’s in Cancer Surgery from AIIMS-Delhi. In 2012, he had to return to India from the United States after his mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
In the beginning, his mother struggled to get proper treatment. Later, she received the required care and survived. This became a turning point in Dr Kumar’s life, and he decided to settle in India.
“Once I came to India, I never went to the US again. The circumstances forced me to stay in India and look after its people. In 2013, I got a job at my alma mater—AIIMS-Delhi — as an assistant professor in the Department of Oncology. Since then, I have been posted there, and now I am serving as HoD, Cancer Surgery, at AIIMS-Delhi,” he added.
Dr Kumar’s mother passed away on January 14 this year. He said that early diagnosis and timely treatment helped her live longer. “Early detection is the ultimate cure for this disease. But that is lacking in India, including Bihar and its neighbouring states, compared to other countries,” he remarked.
Dr Kumar said his goal is to ensure that cancer patients are screened early so that they can be admitted to AIIMS for better treatment. The Chandrakanti Devi Cancer Foundation organises monthly cancer awareness programmes in schools, colleges and government health centres. He said cooperation from the district administration is needed to make these programmes successful.
Narayan Medical College and Hospital has provided space free of cost for the clinic where cancer patients are treated. Not even a nominal registration fee is charged.
The clinic also covers the travel expenses of poor patients from districts such as Rohtas, Kaimur, Aurangabad, Gaya, Buxar, Saran, and Patna.
Patients from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand also visit the clinic for free consultation and treatment. They can contact Dr Kumar and his team 24 hours a day through a helpline number.
Dr Kumar’s father, Ramji Gupta, a retired government employee, recalled the financial difficulties the family faced when his son went to study at the prestigious AIIMS in Delhi. However, he expressed happiness about his son’s work. “Thank God, he is contributing to society a bit by giving consultancy to people free of cost,” he said.
Dr Kumar’s neighbour, Satyendra Kumar Singh, said, “We are proud of the social work being done by the son of the soil.”