Visakhapatnam: Parvathipuram Manyam District is set to launch a cancer screening programme on Thursday, targeting approximately 8.50 lakh residents aged 18 and above. District Collector A Shyam Prasad announced that the door-to-door screening initiative will focus on early detection of oral, breast, and cervical cancers.”This is a part of the Government of Andhra Pradesh’s integrated healthcare approach to reduce cancer-related morbidity and mortality,” said Collector . “The programme includes not only screening but also extensive data collection on various health aspects to strengthen our medical infrastructure.”The screening protocol varies by age group. The residents above 18 years will be screened for oral and breast cancer, while women over 30 will undergo additional cervical cancer screening. A team of 10 gynaecologists, 7 dentists, 84 medical officers, 282 community health officers, and 350 ANMs will carry out the program, which is expected to take 6–9 months to complete.Community Health Officers (CHOs), along with ANMs and ASHA workers, will conduct door-to-door visits to raise awareness through health education. Suspected cases identified during initial screenings will be referred to designated medical colleges through a green channel system for further evaluation and management.The Collector emphasized the preventable nature of many cancers, noting that approximately 70% of cancer cases are linked to modifiable risk factors, with 40% being tobacco-related, 20% infection-related, and 10% attributed to other causes.”The three most prevalent cancers in India are breast, Oral and cervical cancers are not only preventable but also treatable with good survival rates if detected early,” he added. The programme will also collect data on dietary habits, which is crucial for addressing non-communicable diseases (NCDs).The district administration confirmed that all necessary equipment and materials for comprehensive cancer care activities are already in place, and healthcare staff have received appropriate training to conduct the screenings effectively.
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