Maharashtra launches Cancer Awareness Fortnight from today

Mumbai, Feb 4: A ‘Statewide Cancer Awareness Fortnight’ will begin on February 4 all over Maharashtra co-inciding the World Cancer Day. Cancer detection camps will be organized during this period. A cancer examination centre is set up in General Hospital in Malad-Malvani area where patients will be examined there from tomorrow, official sources said.

With early detection oral cancer can be cured in 70 to 75 percent cases. In view of this the state health department has implemented a month-long oral health examination campaign with the cooperation of Tata Memorial Hospital in December 2017 in 34 districts of the state.

During this campaign oral health check-up was conducted on more than 2.08 crore patients in these 34 districts. This included 26% in Nasik, 8% in Latur, 8% in Thane, 7% in Aurangabad, 10% in Akola, 12% in Pune, 13% in Kolhapur and 16% in Nagpur divisions.

Problems related to oral cleanliness and hygiene were detected among 21 to 25 percent patients. They were issued guidelines to maintain oral health in good condition. Suspected cancer cases were recorded over one lakh.

The second phase of this campaign has begun from January 2018. During this re-examination of the suspected patients of the first phase will be done and biopsy will be conducted. In the third phase treatment will be given to those confirmed cancer patients. They will be referred to hospitals included in the Mahatma Fule Jivandaayi Arogy Yojana and where cancer treatment is available or to the nearest medical college.

New Initiative: Health Minister: The new initiative of Cancer Awareness Fortnight will be implemented by the Health Department, State Health Minister Dr Dipak Sawant said adding that instructions were issued to organize district-wise meetings of officers of various departments under the chairmanship of respective district collectors to highlight the ill effects of tobacco intake on health.

Headmasters, teachers and students will be urged to make their schools ‘tobacco-free’. Along with this cancer detection camps will be held through Cancer Warriors. The Health Minister appealed to all the officials to make this Cancer Awareness Fortnight a successful event.

Cancer pre-detection centre has been set up in Mumbai’s Malwani General Hospital. Here with the cooperation of Tata Memorial Hospital and Cancer Warrior Doctors cancer OPD will be held twice a week.

Cancer Warriors: Efforts are on to generate awareness about cancer and its treatment throughout the state through the Cancer Warriors. Those doctors who had obtained cancer training from Tata Hospital and practicing in Maharashtra have voluntarily formed the Cancer Warrior organization. A group of 57 cancer experts who have obtained a medical degree from Tata Memorial Hospital is working in the state from village level. They have taken initiative to provide Cancer OPD, Chemotherapy and surgery to cancer patients at district level. They are also generating awareness among the school students about the ill effects of tobacco consumption.

The Cancer Warriors examined 10,739 cases in 24 districts in 2016-17 and performed 400 cancer operations in the same year. During April 2017 to December 2017 the Cancer Warriors examined 4862 OPD cases and 2102 IPD cases besides 737 operations.