Goa CM Manohar Parrikar suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who left for treatment to the US from Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital in the wee hours of Wednesday, is reportedly suffering from an advanced stage of pancreatic cancer. Parrikar had had health issues from 14th February, and has been under treatment ever since - first in the Goa Medical College and Hospital, and then Lilavati Hospital.
Sources confirm that Parrikar is suffering from pancreatic cancer
"He is diagnosed with an advanced stage of cancer of the pancreas. He has already been administered one round of chemotherapy when he was admitted to Lilavati Hospital," said sources at the Goa Medical College and Hospital.
Parrikar's stomach aches had been initially attributed to food poisoning
Parrikar had complained of stomach aches on February 14 and was subsequently admitted to the GMCH. The following day, he was flown to Lilavati Hospital, and the source of the pains had then been attributed to "food poisoning". Parrikar recovered for a short while and returned to Goa on February 22 to deliver an annual budget speech, but was again hospitalized on the 25th.
Not much is known about Parrikar's US treatment
After getting admitted to the GMCH again on the 25th February, Parrikar was discharged on 1st March and was recuperating at home. However, following another diagnosis at Lilavati Hospital, Parrikar flew to the US for treatment. Details of his US treatment are unknown as of now. Despite the tragedy which has befallen Parrikar, politics is still hounding him.
Pancreatic cancer leaves very little room for survival
According to a 2015 study by Lancet, pancreatic cancer is the 13th most common form of cancer worldwide. Pancreatic cancer has a mortality to incidence ratio of 98% and over 250,000 people have lost their lives to pancreatic cancer.
The Congress has demanded an open declaration of Parrikar's illness
Initially, the Goa CMO maintained that Parrikar was suffering from "mild pancreatitis". On 4th March, when the Goa BJP general secretary Sadanand Shet Tanavade was specifically asked if the CM was suffering from cancer, he refused to divulge information on the grounds that it would infringe on Parrikar's privacy. The Congress, however, has demanded an open declaration as Parrikar is a publicly elected person.
