GUWAHATI:
Assam health minister Keshab Mahanta inaugurated the women’s cancer screening project for Kamrup (both Metro and Rural) district at Dr Bhubaneswar Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI) on August 18.
The project, launched by the Department of Atomic Energy and Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai as part of 75 years of India’s independence, aims to screen 5 lakh women for common cancers across three districts of India, namely Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Kamrup in Assam, and Sangrur in Punjab. The project was preceded by the ceremonial inauguration of a cancer screening camp at the BBCI premises, with BBCI deputy director (research) Dr Mouchumee Bhattacharyya coordinating the project.
The programme was attended by Dr Numal Momin, deputy speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly as the guest of honour, Siddhartha Bhattacharya, MLA, East Guwahati and Ramendra Narayan Kalita, MLA, West Guwahati, as distinguished guests. Devashish Sharma, commissioner of Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC).
Speaking on the occasion, Mahanta stated that more emphasis should be laid on the prevention and early detection of common cancers like cancer of the mouth, breast, and uterine cervix. He appealed to the public to adopt a healthy lifestyle and refrain from the consumption of tobacco and alcohol. The minister also announced the donation of a PET-CT machine to BBCI as its Golden Jubilee gift on behalf of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Dr Numal Momin, who released the Annual Report 2021 of BBCI, highly appreciated the contribution made by Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute in providing succour to large numbers of patients with cancer in the Northeast, while Dr Sidhartha Bhattacharya and Ramendra Narayan Kalita assured all possible support to organize cancer screening camps in East and West Guwahati constituencies.
In his address, Devashish Sharma stated that non-governmental organizations working in the health sector shall need to be mobilized to join hands with BBCI to achieve the target of screening one lakh women in Kamrup.
The deputy commissioner of Urban Kamrup has already issued notifications to all the government health establishments to cooperate with the BBCI team. The team comprises 25 staff including doctors, social workers, nurses, etc. Daily three camps are organized at different locations covering 200-300 women.
According to BBCI director Dr Amal Chandra Kataki, cancers of the mouth, breast and uterine cervix are amenable to prevention and early detection. Due to lack of awareness, the vast majority of patients with cancer unfortunately present in fairly advanced stages resulting in poor outcomes.
So far, over 10,000 women have been screened, of whom, 522 women were suspected of potentially malignant lesions. All the suspected women were called to BBCI for further investigation, out of which three were confirmed with cancer. These three women with cancer are presently undergoing treatment at the institute, Dr Kataki further informed.
Dr Satirtha Barman, team leader of the cancer screening project, said, “there are a lot of myths and taboos amongst the common people regarding screening of cancers”.
“There is a perception among people that screening will lead to diagnosis of cancer, which is not true. Screening at the community level is only to identify suspected lesions that need to be confirmed either as cancer or non-cancer by further examinations and investigations in the hospital,” Dr Barman added.