Srinagar: Panic has gripped Lehjura area of Pulwama district where a woman has died of breast cancer, even as four more fresh cases of the deadly disease have surfaced setting alarm bells ringing in the health department,.

A woman died of breast cancer, as a team of doctors sent to the area by the health department have detected four more cases of breast cancer among the women, officials told GNS Tuesday. A five member team of doctors has been dispatched to the area by the directorate of health to assess the situation where panic has gripped the womenfolk.

 “There were five cancer patients. Among them wife of Mushtaq Ahmad Dar, who hails from Lehjora passed away. She was receiving Chemotherapy treatment at SKIMS Soura,” Dr Shahbaz Ahmad, who is camping in the village with his colleagues, told GNS.

“Three more women are suffering from breast cancer, while one has ovary cancer. Their ages are 40, 45, 35 and 70,” he added.

He said that the team of doctors has started medical awareness in the village. The team, he said, has also asked the CMO to send female doctors to the village.

However, the locals have taken strong exception of the move of the health department, who have sent all male doctors team to the village.

“Some women hesitate to get examined from the male doctors. The health department should have sent females doctors to them examined,” Mohammad Shafi, a local said.

He said that the house-to-house screening of the women by the doctors will not serve any purpose unless female doctors are sent to the village

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Pulwama, Mohammad Hussain told GNS that he was informed about the cases of cancer by the Block Medical Officer (BMO), Pulwama. “After her information, we constituted a team of doctors for the screening of the women folk. The screening is underway,” he said, adding: “Only after proper screening, we can say whether it is breast cancer or not.” (GNS)