Pathanamthitta to kickstart cancer detection

KOCHI: Pathanamthitta is all set to become the first district in the state to kickstart the national-level cancer detection and control programme. The cancer programme, part of the National Non-communicable Diseases programme (NCD), will be inaugurated at the Pathanamthitta General Hospital in November. Under the first phase, the programme will be launched in four more districts, including Alappuzha, Idukki, Kozhikode and Thrissur. The other districts in the state will be covered under the 13th Five Year Plan.The programme, part of the centrally-sponsored NCD programme, looks at a comprehensive awareness and control of cancer at the district. “One hospital in the district, the general hospital or the district hospital, will be the nodal centre. The programme will then be executed via various hospitals, sub-centres, primary health Centres and community health centres,” said director, Directorate of Health Services, Dr P K Jameela. The programme will include setting up of early cancer detection centres, setting up of clinics with provisions for chemotherapy, lab facilities, appointment of an oncologist or physicians trained in oncology in every district, provision for free or subsidies supply cancer drugs to patients, conducting grassroots level awareness camps on cancer detection at sub-centres etc. “The systems especially those looking at cure will work in coordination with the Regional Cancer Centre in Thiruvananthapuram and the Malabar Cancer Centre. The medications of a lower order can be referred to the district-level cancer centres,” Dr S Hafiz, State Nodal Officer for the NCD programme, said.The NCD programme looks at four diseases, including stroke, diabetes, cardio-vascular diseases and cancer. “Pathanamthitta district has received `1.6 crore under the programme. The funds will be released further according to the programmes taken up. The grassroots work under the  program has already begun in the district. In the case of diabetes, the  distribution of glucometres, strips etc has been done. The testing will begin in the first week of November,” Hafiz said.