Bid To Diagnose Cancer Cases Early: Health Department To Screen One Lakh Women In 100 Days

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Concerned over the increasing cases of cancer among women, the Health Department has planned to run a mega screening campaign to diagnose and identify cancer patients early and to provide them timely treatment.

The department is targeting to screen at least one lakh women of the district in 100 days against cervical cancer, breast cancer, and oral cancer.

Chief medical and health officer Dr BS Saitya said, “The screening campaign was scheduled to be launched on February 4 but it couldn’t be started due to lack of preparations. We have called a meeting of ANMs, gynaecologists and health workers to decide the same and to launch the campaign at the earliest.

He said that there has been a rise in cancer cases among women reported in the last few years and the decision to run the screening campaign was taken during the meeting held on World Cancer Day, i.e. on February 4.

“Health workers will go door to door for screening the patients while the facility will also be provided at all the CHCs, anganwadis, and other health centres. Those found suspected of cancer would be sent to tertiary health care centres for treatment,” the CMHO said.

Health officials will organise a training session for health workers to conduct pap smear test, mammography, and swab test.

A report of the campaign would be submitted to the government for taking further action.

376 cases of cervical cancer found in 2023

During the screening camps organised in March 2023 at 37 facilities across the district, 14,103 women were screened and they underwent VIA test. Out of these, 493 women were found positive but in further investigation, 176 were found false positive.

Out of the positive patients, as many as 236 have taken treatment through thermal ablation theory. Similarly, 20-22 patients had gone through the removal of uterus while the remaining are going through cancer treatment

Early detection is key for treatment

“It is very important to detect the symptoms of cancer in the early stages. There is an increase in awareness but people delay in recognising the symptoms and going for diagnoses which is a major reason for increasing cases.”

Dr Ramesh Arya

Superintendent, Government Cancer Hospital