Health Minister flags off cancer detection van

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, June 21

On getting a cancer detection van worth Rs 2 crore from the Rotary International on Thursday, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) has assured residents of the Malwa region, particularly women, of making early detection of cancer and giving effective treatment from now on.

Health and Medical Education Minister Brahm Mohindra flagged off the Rotary Gunvanti Bansal Memorial Cancer Detection Van on Thursday.

Equipped with machinery of early detection/diagnosis of cancer, which would help patients to have timely treatment for the disease, the van has been donated to the medical university jointly by the Rotary Club of Delhi Rajdhani, Rotary Club of Faridkot and Rotary Club of Tapei Tungteh, Taiwan.

First of its kind cancer detection mobile van in the state, it is fitted with a mobile mammography, ultrasound and dexa scan machine to check the women for breast cancer, who have no sign or symptom of the disease, at their doorstep.

Primarily, the van will do screening of breast cancer, cervical cancer, oral cancer and osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a disease where increased bone weakness shoots up the risk of a broken bone. It is the most common reason for broken bones among the elderly in the region, said Dr Raj Bahadur, Vice-Chancellor, BFUHS.

Three out of every four women in India are susceptible to osteoporosis, but it goes unnoticed for lack of awareness in the country, said Dr Raj Bahadur.

The doctors and auxiliary staff in the van will make the women aware of the symptoms of breast cancer so that the early detection of the disease helps them in getting treatment.

“As a large number of women are affected by breast cancer, such kind of an initiative is needed to detect cancer at the earliest,” said Dr Vimal Garg of Rotary Club of Faridkot.

It is very important in the modern times that every person should have basic information about the primary symptoms of cancer, which helps in detecting and curing the disease at an initial stage.

As every woman above 40 years should have frequent examination for breast cancer, similar is the necessity for osteoporosis testing.

So, besides a mammography and ultrasound machine in the cancer detection van, the dexa scan facility has also been provided to check the density of the bones, doctors said.

While the onetime expense of about Rs 2 crore on this van has been borne by the Rotary Club, doctors, para-medical staff and driver for this van will be arranged by the BFUHS and maintenance of the van is also the responsibility of the university.