Subhash Rajta
Tribune News Service
Shimla, December 30
Less than one per cent of the women get themselves screened for breast and cervical cancer in Himachal Pradesh. According to the fifth National Family Health Survey, only 0.9 per cent women in the 30-49 age group get themselves examined for breast cancer and a mere 0.4 for cervical cancer.
“The number is really less, it needs to improve a lot,” said Doctor Manish Gupta, HOD, Oncology, at the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC).
These figures look even more worrisome in the light of the fact that the cases of breast cancer and cervical cancer top the list at the IGMC. “Every year, we receive 3,000 to 3,500 cancer cases at the IGMC. Out of those, breast cancer cases are around 250-275 and cervical cancer cases around 200,” said Dr Gupta. “Besides, many people prefer going to the Tanda Medical College or outside the state for treatment. So, the actual number of cases must be much more.”
Emphasising on why more women should get themselves screened, Dr Gupta said the curability rate in both breast and cervical cancer is very high if detected early. “If detected at stage 1, the curability rate is almost 100 per cent. And this rate continues to decrease with late detection. So, screening will help detect so many cases at early stages and save so many lives.”
“Awareness campaigns through media should be increased. The Preventive and Social Medicine Department at all six medical colleges in the state could be used more on this front,” said Dr Gupta. “Besides, the government has started Nirog Clinics across the state, where people will be screened for cancer along with other non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases etc. This should improve the screening numbers and help early detection,” said Dr Gupta.
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December 31, 2020 at 09:42AM
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