Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Head and Neck Surgery Department of the Super Specialty Hospital has been given the status of a referral centre for mouth and throat cancer patients of the state by the Health Department and the National Health Mission.
It is the first and only Head and Neck Surgery Department of any government medical college in the country, to get this status.
HoD Dr Bhavesh Bang said, the department mainly treats cancers like mouth cancer, thyroid, salivary gland and other throat cancers.
“The department was started in April last year. Now we are planning to provide training in cancer screening to doctors and primary health workers of all the districts of the state so that mouth and throat cancer can be identified in time and patients can be sent to the department for treatment,” Dr Bang said.
Hospital superintendent Dr Sumit Shukla said that the hospital has all the advanced equipment available for the treatment of head and neck cancer and treatment is free for patients holding Ayushman cards.
Notably, more than 8,788 oral cancer patients are registered in Madhya Pradesh. Under the National Noncommunicable Programme, health workers conduct community-based screening for oral cancer for persons above 30 years of age. The potential patients are referred to the health centre for testing. If prescribed symptoms are found during oral examination, the disease can be referred to a Super Specialty Hospital for clinical confirmation and treatment management.
