LAGATAR24 NETWORK
Ranchi, Feb 15: A review meeting regarding the Screening of Carcinoma Cervix was convened on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Health Minister Banna Gupta in collaboration with Women Doctors Wing of Indian Medical Association (IMA), Jharkhand. All the civil surgeons, government gynecologists, hospital managers, and deputy superintendents of all the districts were connected online during the meeting.
The Health Minister, on the occasion, said, “The government has made a provision of Rs. 1.32 crore in the budget. Soon a digital video colposcope and cryo machine will be installed in all district hospitals of the state.”
Gupta further warned of sacking the concerned officials of Jamshedpur, Ranchi, Chatra and Latehar for their poor performance against the target given for cervical cancer screening. He said that talks have been made to increase the honorarium of Sahiyas and further directed the Maternity Cell in-charge Dr. Deepawali that women that have symptoms of cervical cancer in the women at the time of pregnancy and after delivery, then they be examined.
Women Doctors Wing I.M.A. Jharkhand President Dr. Bharti Kashyap said that hands-on training on machines is being provided by the Women Doctors Wing in frequent webinars and health camps. “A total of 89,541 women have been screened for cervical cancer in the last 9 months by trained government gynecologists,” she said.
“In order to assess the exact status of cervical cancer in Jharkhand, I suggested that the monthly data of Carcinoma Cervix from all government district hospitals be collected from NRHM. Similarly, monthly data of carcinoma cervix from all community health centres, health and wellness centres, government and private medical colleges and hospitals, private nursing homes and screening camps run by the National Cancer Program also be sent to NRHM. This is so that the actual status of Carcinoma Cervixes in Jharkhand can be assessed and we can be facilitated in planning for its eradication,” Dr Kashyap added.
She further said, “We also suggested that under the Safe Matritva Abhiyan, as honorarium is given to the Sahiyas for bringing pregnant women to the hospital on the 9th of every month, they should also be given an honorarium if women with symptoms of cervical cancer are brought to the hospital. If this is also included in the Safe Matritya Abhiyan, then the Sahiyas will be able to work towards the same goal as us.”
Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Arun Kumar Singh said, “A District Action Plan will be prepared which will work on all three issues, awareness, training and treatment. For its implementation, committees will be formed in every district, in which government doctors, as well as members of Women Doctors Wing IMA at the district level, will also be available.”
National President, IMA, Dr. Sahajanand Singh lauded the coordinated efforts of the Health Department, Government of Jharkhand and Women’s Doctors Wing and said that this initiative is exemplary for other states as well.
During the video conferencing, Dr Deepawali, the nodal officer-in-charge of the Maternity Cell, said that the target was to screen 225571 women from April 2021 to January 2022, which is 6% of women with reproductive potential. She further presented the report of Cervical Cancer Screening done by all the government hospitals in the state.
The review meeting was concluded by the Director of the National Health Mission.
After reviewing Cancer specialist and Gynecologist, Dr. Kanika Gupta, Director, Max Hospital, New Delhi imparted training to State Government Gynecologists for Colposcopy Guided Screening and Colposcopy Guided Cryotreatment for
