Cancer screening for women inmates at Central Jail

Bhopal: Female prison inmates underwent screening camp for common cancers Bhopal central jail, according to a press release. The screening exercise used the most advanced HPV DNA testing technology in line with WHO recommendation as a first-choice screening method for cervical cancer prevention.Experts attending the programme explained that cancer is of more than 200 types but oral, breast and cervical cancer are the three most common cancers females of India. Statistics show that one woman dies of cervical cancer every 8 minutes in India, for every 2 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer, one woman dies of it in India and mortality due to tobacco use in India is estimated at upwards of 3500 persons every day.The initiative is being executed by Vishwanath Cancer Care Foundation (VCCF) along with technical and programmatic support from Karkinos Healthcare and Career Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS).This initiative is part of Bandini Swasthya Shivir programme which proposes to be held at various jails with female prison inmates under a CSR initiative.DNA-based testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) has been shown to be more effective than conventional used screening methods aimed at detecting and preventing cervical cancer.Arvind Kumar, DG Prison and Correctional Services, MP National Health Mission (MP-NHM) and Directorate Medical Education (DME) are the referral and treatment partners. MP-NHM maternal health in charge, Dr Archana Mishra, MP-NHM NCD wing, Dr Ashish Saxena, GMC consultant, Dr Preeti Pawar, Dr Akbar Ali along with nursing staff from CIMS were also present.