: Kerala Districts Measures For Early Cancer Detection Is A Lesson For All of India #IndiaNEWS #Health Care India has some of the highest recorded numbers of cancer cases globally. In 2016, while the

Kerala Districts Measures For Early Cancer Detection Is A Lesson For All of India #IndiaNEWS #Health Care
India has some of the highest recorded numbers of cancer cases globally. In 2016, while the cancer incidence rate across India was 106 cases per 1 lakh people, it was 135 cases per 1 lakh people in Kerala. The mortality and disability rates owing to cancer are also high in the state.
Ernakulam, a district with a population of 32. 8 lakh people is estimated to have 5400 new cancer patients every year.
Dr Moni Abraham Kuriakose, the director of Cochin Cancer Research Centre (CCRC) says, “There are high cases recorded in the state owing to three reasons — increase in longevity among the population, rise in high-risk habits such as smoking and unhealthy eating, and better medical facilities that increase diagnosis and the number of cases. ???
To address this impending crisis, the government of Kerala in 2018, published the Cancer Control Strategy, and one of the principal targets were early detection of common cancers like mouth, breast and cervical cancer.
Last year, the District Cancer Control Programme (DCCP) was conceived as a comprehensive approach to integrate cancer prevention, early detection and surveillance strategies by utilising the services of the existing primary health care system.
“In India, cancer detection is done at cancer centres or by organising camps along with experts to provide a diagnosis. But this has not worked. In the past three years, the CCRC has been conducting such activities but has not diagnosed many early-stage patients. With the DCCP programme most of the cases diagnosed were in the early stage,??? says Dr Moni.
Cancer Detection: Here’s how they did it:
Initiated in January 2019, the overall goal of the programme was to reduce incidences of preventable cancers through early detection and providing enhanced treatment to the patients.
It was planned in four stages after a district cancer control committee chaired by District Collector, the Zilla Panchayath President and supported by the District Medical Officer, District Planning Officer and Director of CCRC was constituted.
1. Planning Phase
First, an estimate of the cancer incidence and prevalence in the district was assessed. This also includes determining the manpower and infrastructure available for cancer control. Based on these details, the budget was prepared.
2. Sensitisation phase
Here, the responsibilities of various stakeholders were laid out and modified based on the available personnel and level of commitment shown by the various stakeholders. This phase spanned over six to eight months.
3. Implementation phase
(i) To improve knowledge about cancer and its various clinical presentations, an educational programme along with hands-on training was implemented for primary care doctors.