Devanti Devi from Piska More came to the cervical cancer screening camp at Sadar Hospital with chronic chest pain, but who would have known that she was almost down with primary stage of pre-cervical cancer. On the contrary, Magdali Horo, who came to the camp to confirm her fears of being a cervical cancer patient, had all her worries alleviated when she was cleared by the medical experts.
Such was the scene at the Cervical Cancer Screening Camp, jointly organised by Women Doctors’ Wing, IMA and State Health Department, this Friday. Onco-gynaecologists from PHCs of all 14 blocks of Ranchi district, as well as patients with probable symptoms pointing towards cervical cancer, congregated with the motive of spreading and receiving awareness about cervical cancer.
A total of 119 patients were diagnosed with VIA (Visual Inspection of Cervix with Acetic Acid) screening method, out of which 48 were found with infection, cervical polyp and cervical ectropion were found in one patient each and three were diagnosed with stage I of precancerous condition.
While inaugurating the camp, Health Minister Ramchandra Chandravanshi said, “Similar camps will be organised in Sadar Hospitals of Garhwa and Daltonganj on November 10 and 11 after a training camp for doctors of these districts on November 9. State Government is also planning to include VIA screening methodology and colposcopy in the healthcare system of the state.”
Speaking on the occasion, president of Women Doctors’ Wing, IMA, Dr Bharti Kashyap, “Every year, 1,22,844 women are affected by cervical cancer in India, out of which 67,000 succumb to this illness. The drive against cervical cancer we are conducting focuses on awareness camps for cervical cancer and VIA test, training Sadar Hospital onco-gynaecologists in ways of diagnosing cervical cancer and get VIA screening method to be implemented for the community by State Government.”
Prior to the screening camp, a training camp for doctors from Ranchi was organised at Sadar Hospital where Kolkata-based onco-gynaecologist Dr Ranjit Mandal chaired the sessions as trainer.
“Timely screening among women belonging to the age group 30-60 years is the only way to put an end to cervical cancer. For this, VIA screening is the most sensitive diagnosis method, according to World Health Organisation. Following the example of Tamil Nadu, other states of India also need to include this screening method in their healthcare system,” Mandal said.