BBCI adopts rural health center for cancer detection

GUWAHATI, Jan 19: Keeping in mind the clarion call of the Prime Minister to the parliamentarians for adopting a village for its all-round development, Dr. B Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI), an autonomous institute took up a similar initiative last year, stated a press release. BBCI adopted the Rani Community Health Center (CHC) located at rural Kamrup District on January 3, 2015 for facilitating the people of that area for improving access to early diagnosis of cancer through screening and awareness.

Dr Amal Chandra Kataki, Director of BBCI said, “The tiol Cancer Control Programme has now been expanded by the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to include cardio-vascular disease, stroke, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease, and the programme is called tiol Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke (NPCDCS). All these diseases are related to life style and any measure to control these will benefit a large section of our population”.  

Dr.Kataki was instrumental in adopting Rani CHC for starting the rural cancer detection center. According to the World Health Organization, 1/3rd of cancers are preventable, 1/3rd can be detected at an early stage, and 1/3rd will require palliative care due to its advanced stage at presentation.

 Cancer screening and awareness camps are conducted every month on the third Monday. A team comprising of specialists from BBCI conducts the awareness and cancer screening camp. In the last one year, 12 screening and awareness camps have been conducted. There are over 200 beneficiaries of early cancer screening camps and most of them were from BPL or low income families. And, more than 1000 people from the area have been made aware on early symptoms and signs, and preventive strategies for common cancers.

The institute has also trained up nurses, ASHA and Anganwadi workers under the Rani CHC for creating awareness amongst the masses. This type of “Training the Trainer” model is a useful tool in cancer control programs.

Eleven early cancer cases have been detected in these screening camps, who otherwise would have neglected their cancers leading to a late diagnosis. Most of these patients completed treatment and a few are undergoing treatment at different hospitals. Dr.P K Pathak, SDMO and In-charge of Rani CHC had said that “this initiative is rendering a great service to the people of Rani, which comprises of people from both Assam and Meghalaya”.