Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The National Health Mission (NHM) has started cancer screening at primary health centers (PHCs) and community health centers (CHCs) where female medical officers are posted in Madhya Pradesh.
NHM director Dr Saloni Sidana said that the objective is to ensure that women's examinations are conducted with complete dignity, trust, and confidentiality. Currently, this facility is being started only at centres where it is possible to maintain women's privacy.
Initial screening will be available at the nearest primary health centre or district hospital, and if any symptoms are found, the patient will be immediately referred for secondary treatment, said the official.
This will enable the identification of cancer in its early stages, making treatment more effective, she added.
Thermal ablation devices will be provided in all district hospitals to remove minor lesions associated with cervical cancer, the NHM director said.
This will make it possible to treat many pre-cancerous cases at the district level, saving patients from complex procedures such as radiation or major surgery, said the officials. In serious cases, patients will be referred to higher centers where there will be adequate arrangements for medical, surgical, and radiation oncology, along with chemotherapy and follow-up, the director added.
