Indore (Madhya Pradesh): With the ongoing battle with the scourge of Covid-19, the rising number of cancer cases irks the forest department as nearly 70 per cent of India’s population lives in the rural areas and smoking is a common part of everyday life for most people there.
Taking the initiative to control the rising number of cancer cases, the forest department of Indore division will start an awareness campaign on Friday. This is the first time in the state that the forest department is taking such an initiative for villagers, foresters, officials and local tribes.
‘Cancer is more common in non-tribal rural areas: NHS’
‘The incidence of cancer, along with other non-communicable diseases, is rising in the non-tribal rural areas of Madhya Pradesh every year. Screening of 30 lakh persons above the age of 30 across the state in December revealed that Raisen, Hoshangabad and Seoni districts face the highest burden of the diseases in the state’ - Saloni Sidana, additional state director, National Health Mission
Some essential facts:
§ One woman dies of cervical cancer every 8 minutes in India, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO)
§ For every 2 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer, one woman dies of it in India, it added
§ Mortality due to tobacco use in India is estimated at upwards of 3,500 persons every day, added the WHO report
§ Tobacco (smoked and smokeless) use accounted for 317,928 deaths (approximately) in men and women in a year
§ Cancer registry data said that 800,000 new cancers cases are reported in India every year
§ Cancer sites associated with tobacco form 35% to 50% of all cancers in men and about 17% of cancers in women
Tobacco smoke causes cancer in cats, as well!
‘In villages, it’s common for people to chew on tobacco leaves and smoke beedis at the end of the day, which are among the major causes of cancer. The rising number of cancer cases affects life and our entire country, in general, including our forest warriors. Environmental carcinogens, such as those found in cigarette smoke, have been shown to contribute to the development of squamous cell carcinomas found in the mouths of cats. Viruses are known causes of some cancers in pets. For instance, feline leukaemia virus is a common cause of death in cats’ — HS Mohanta, chief conservator of forests
Forest will campaign to reach out to 800 people
§ The campaign will be holding seminars at 100 locations spread over 16 districts of the Indore, Ujjain and Khandwa circles. ‘We’re trying to maximise attendance and targeting nearly 700-800 people,’ Mohanta said
§ When asked how they would connect to villagers on an online set-up, Mohanta said, ‘Range officers or deputy rangers will be getting connected in the remote villages and heading the initiative to ensure that the information is shared with everyone’
§ All the division offices will stay connected on the big screen. All the employees will be present then, as well, according to the instructions issued by the CCF, Indore
§ ‘The target group will be our staff, Forest Villages and Joint Forest Management Committees,’ Mohanta said. He added that this would be an attempt to make them aware of cancer detection, symptoms, prevention and treatment
