BENGALURU: Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) will start an outreach programme in three sub-centres at K G Halli, Nelamangala and Hesaraghatta to detect and treat cervical cancer in women aged between 30 and 60.
BMCRI Dean Dr P K Devadas told Express that this initiative is aimed at ensuring women in and around the city are screened for early detection and treatment of cervical cancer.
“Teams of gynaecologists, pathologists and community medicine specialists will be available in these sub-centres (primary health centres), and once in 15 days, the women will be examined through a pap smear test to detect cancer cells in the cervix. If we get positive result, such cases will be referred to Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology for treatment,” he said and added that taking cancer care to the doorsteps was the prime idea behind the outreach programme.
“A meeting of officials from Kidwai, the Gynaecology Department from Vani Vilas Hospital and the Pathology Department from Victoria Hospital was held on Tuesday and everyone expressed satisfaction in taking the programme ahead,” said Dr Devadas.
BMCRI will maintain a registry for regular follow up of patients. Patients do not have to spend a rupee for any kind of tests under the programme, which will later cover a 50-km radius in city limits.
‘1 in 100 Women Have Cervical Cancer’
Dr Geetha Shivmurthy, professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at Vanivilas Hospital, said, “One in 100 women who come for tests at our hospital has cervical cancer. The outreach programme has been planned to bring awareness and treat this killer disease.”
“Cervical cancer is asymptomatic and patients seek treatment only after cancer is established. To avoid such a situation, preventive oncology will be adopted by offering these tests. Patients with the ailment will then be treated at Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology,” she added.
BMCRI intends to do a follow up after a year to check if the prevalence of cervical cancer has changed.