Bhaktapur, June 13

With the number of cancer patients increasing in the Valley, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur districts now have the most number of cancer patients in the country.

‘Around one-third of the total number of cancer patients come from the Valley,’ said Dr Prakash Raj Neupane, medical director of Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital.

More than 300 cancer patients from all over the country come to Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital for treatment. The hospital sees 30,000 new cases of cancer every year, of which ten per cent are from the valley.

“The main reason behind this is because the people in the Valley are more aware of health issues, recognise the disease and come for treatment,” he said.

He added that higher levels of pollution, and unhealthy lifestyle were other reasons behind increased cancer patients.