VIJAYAWADA: A comprehensive ‘Cancer Atlas’ mapping cancer incidence across different regions of Andhra Pradesh will be prepared soon, announced renowned oncologist and State Government Advisor Dr Nori Dattatreyudu.
Speaking at the 5th Advisory Committee Meeting on Cancer Disease Burden held at the headquarters of the Health and Family Welfare Department in Mangalagiri on Friday, Dr Dattatreyudu said it will be based on cancer cases at the grassroots level.
“The Cancer Atlas will be handed over to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav at the earliest,” he added.
The atlas will compile data also for the ongoing NCD-4.0 screening programme and patients receiving treatment under the Dr NTR Vaidya Seva Trust. “This will give us a reliable picture of cancer prevalence in each region,” Dr Dattatreyudu said. Dr NTR Vaidya Seva Trust CEO Dinesh Kumar revealed that most cancer cases are being reported from urban areas. Since the Trust’s inception in 2006–07, a total of 3,29,183 cancer patients have received treatment at a cost of Rs 4,616. Director of Secondary Health KVN Chakradhar Babu said nine day-care chemotherapy centres are currently operational in district hospitals, with patient numbers steadily increasing.