GUWAHATI, Jan 11 - City-based Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI) has started an initiative of cancer control programme in the rural areas adjoining Guwahati.
In this mission, experts from the institute will conduct awareness and screening camps in the rural areas and provide an opportunity to the people from these areas to avail cancer screening tests free of cost, said a statement.
The State Department of Health and Family Welfare is also providing the necessary support to the BBCI in this initiative.
As part of the programme, a team of experts from BBCI conducted an awareness-cum-cancer screening camp at Amranga Barihat in Kamrup on Saturday.
Dr Srabana Misra Bhagabaty, who conducted the awareness session, spoke about the nine warning signals of cancer, and risk factors for breast, uterine cervix and head and neck cancers. The meeting was attended by 50 people from the area.
Dr Bidhan Roy and Dr Manigreeva Krishnatreya carried out the free screening camp for uterine cervix, breast and oral cavity cancer. Information, education and communication materials were distributed.
More such camps will be held during the current month. At Rani CHC a camp will be held on January 18, at Mirza CHC on January 23 and at Azara FRU on January 30.
The statement added that while a majority of people in India reside in rural areas, most of the cancer diagnostic centres are located in the urban areas and this leads to disparity in the early diagnosis of common cancers like mouth, uterine cervix and breast cancer in the rural population, as these cancers are amenable for early diagnosis by experts. There is also lack of awareness about the early symptoms and signs of cancer amongst the common public.
