With Meghalaya ranked second in the country for incidence of cancer, the state government today launched Meghalaya Cancer Care (Meg Can Care), a project for screening and early detection.
The initiative, part of collaboration with Apollo Telemedicine Foundation and the World Economic Forum, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma here today.
The 18-24 month pilot project aims to create massive integrated cancer awareness campaign to urge people to change cancer-inducing habits as well as get over the stigma that cancer holds and get screened for free by calling helpline number 14410.
Over 150,000 people in the East Khasi Hills district will be screened for five types of cancers using a Health Risk Assessment and smart devices at the village level.
From World Cancer Day the ATNF team, in collaboration with the NHM, State Cancer Society of Meghalaya, district health officials and other stakeholders, has been aggressively screening people across villages in the East Khasi Hills, a statement today said.
In the last 90 days, 6,675 people have been screened across 658 camps across the district – as many as 720 of them have agreed to visit a health facility for further diagnosis and are being followed up at multiple levels. The team will also ensure that patients get handholding through the surgical/cancer treatment process.
Speaking at the launch, the Chief Minister said, “We have to realise that a large part of health comes from lifestyle and early detection, not only of cancer but all other diseases, and I urge the citizens of Meghalaya, especially East Khasi Hills, that we need to take this seriously. If detected early, 80 per cent of cancer cases are curable, hence it is absolutely necessary that screening and detection must take place”.
The CM also informed that screening under this programme is technically advanced, with a capable team handling the project and he urged the public to make use of the early detection and screening programme.
Meghalaya’s cancer profile is worrying. Not only is it second in terms of incidence of all cancers put together but it is first among oesophageal cancer, a particularly difficult one to treat.
Sangma said that his government takes the approach that health has to be looked after across the entire lifespan, “right from conception”, and that the state’s annual health budget has doubled “over the last few years”.
Earlier, Principal Secretary of the Health Department, Sampat Kumar, informed that only 16 per cent of cancer patients were aware that there is a screening process for cancer. “A lot of people are not aware that cancer can be screened early and, if detected early, 80 per cent of the cases can be cured,” he said, adding that over 10 per cent of deaths in Meghalaya are due to non-communicable diseases like cancer.
Earlier, the CM also launched the cancer helpline number 14410 and flagged off the ‘Cancer Ambassador’ cyclists.
