COIMBATORE: The state health department has planned to initiate Organised Cancer Screening Programmes in twelve districts, focusing on the well-being of the rural population.
Diagnosing the cancer with the symptoms and offering adequate medical assistance to them are the core objectives of this program. Initially, the programme will be launched as a pilot project in twelve districts — Thiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Vellore, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Dharmapuri, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Theni, Madurai, Tiruchy and Karur.
The programme will be under the ambit of the National Health Mission (NHM) and the launch is tentatively fixed on May 9, according to a senior official from the health department.
The official said they have already conducted district-level training sessions for the staff who attend the programme at the field level.
Explaining the programme, the official said it is to diagnose cancer at village-level. “Currently, cancer treatment is available only at government and private hospitals, and many people do not have easy access to such hospitals to diagnose cancer at its early stage. It might be a misunderstanding of the symptoms, and due to negligence. The rural population is at a significant risk due to lack of screening.”
“While offering facilities for diagnosing and treatment in villages through these camps, many people will come forward to check their health and get diagnosed. If anyone is found to have symptoms of cancer, they will be given proper counselling and referred to a nearby government hospital for periodical treatment,” the official added.
The districts have been selected for the pilot project based on the number of cancer cases, the official said.