THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday inaugurated ‘Arogyam Anandam- Keep Cancer at Bay’, a mass cancer screening campaign, that aims to detect cancer risk among people and ensure early treatment. Calling it a serious trend, he said people shy away from cancer risk detection due to ignorance about the disease and the cost of treatment. “We should be a part of the campaign, besides involving our loved ones. On being diagnosed with the disease, they should be encouraged to seek treatment at an early stage,” said Pinarayi, adding that the first phase of the year-long campaign will be focused on women.
“Cases of cancer are increasing, and so is death by breast cancer. Cancer in women can be detected at an early stage and treated and cured. But often this is not the case,” said the chief minister. He also released the cancer grid at the event.
The first phase will continue until the International Women’s Day on March 8. He further shared that the process of administering HPV vaccination against cervical cancer to girls in higher secondary schools is in progress. Notably, the state has managed to distribute medicines worth `2.5 crore under the ‘Karunya Sparsham- Zero Profit Anti-Cancer Drugs’ project.
Health Minister Veena George, who presided over the event, urged public involvement in the cancer risk detection campaign. Actor Manju Warrier, the campaign’s brand ambassador, also attended the event.