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STATE-OF-THE-ART
VAN TO ORGANISE 100 CAMPS EVERY YEAR
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BATS FOR MASSIVE
CAMPAIGN TO SPREAD HEALTH EDUCATION IN RURAL AREAS
CHANDIGARH, JUNE 21:
Keeping
in line with the various activities being conducted by the State Government
under its flagship Tandarust Punjab Mission, Health and Family Welfare Minister
Brahm Mohindra today flagged off an advanced cancer detection mobile
van fitted with latest screening facilities to provide world class preventive
medical care to women in Malwa region for early detection of the symptoms of
deadly disease.
Flagging off the van from outside the
official residence of the Chief Minister this afternoon, while emphasizing the
need for a collaborative approach to battle the rising menace of Cancer, he
pointed out that identification of the disease at the onset was vital to combat
it besides ensuring the high survival rate.
Cancer was the second leading cause
of deaths after cardiovascular diseases and its increasing incidences only
underscore the urgent need for us to focus on primary prevention by screening
through Mamography and Pap Smear tests among women, he further added.
Stressing on the need to proactively
encourage and motivate women to register for preventive medical checkups, Brahm
Mohindra pointed out that reluctance of women in rural areas at times leads to
late detection which proves fatal. This van has been launched to especially
cater to those women at their doorstep, he added.
Lauding Mr Vinod Bansal, who has
collaborated with Baba Farid University for Medical Sciences for this noble
initiative, he exhorted Punjabi diaspora to complement's state government's
efforts to provide holistic medical care to all.
Expressing concern at the rising
cases of Cancer especially in four districts of Malwa including Sri Muktsar
Sahib, Mansa, Bhatinda and Ferozpur, the Health Minister said that it was a
matter of great concern that cancer incidence in this area was 107 per lakh.
Elaborating the steps taken by Punjab
government, the he said that Homi Bhabha Cancer Super Specialty Hospital at
Sangrur and Advanced Cancer treatment and Research Center at Bathinda
equipped with the latest diagnostic and curative facilities including
Radiotherapy with Cobalt and Brachytherapy were serving hundreds of
patients every year. The Health Minister said that Bhabha Atomic Research
Center in collaboration with Tata Memorial Cancer Research Centre. Mumbai is
setting up a 300 bedded Cancer Treatment Centre at New Chandigarh.
On the occasion, Vice-Chancellor of
Baba Farid University apprised the Chief Minister that mobile van would conduct
100 free cancer detection camps for women who would be examined for suspicion
of breast and cervical cancer.
A radiologist and oncologist would
travel with the van and suspected cases on screening would be referred to
medical college for further examination and treatment, and in case of detection
of cancer at early stage, cure can be achieved with use of lesser resources and
lesser economic burden on affected families.