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Strap: Free breast and cervical cancer tests to be conducted

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 4

The Rotary Club, Jalandhar West, today launched a cancer detection van which shall go from village to village to boost cancer-related medical healthcare.

Called mobile mammography unit, the van has been launched in association with the Rotary Club of the Sudbury District in Canada.

This van shall go from village to village for the detection of breast cancer and cervical cancer and shall be holding weekly or monthly camps on demand for patients as required. The van shall also provide free vaccination for affected patients.

MLA Pargat Singh inaugurated the van today. An initiative of the Rotary Club, the van shall be maintained by Dr KSG Memorial Charitable Society.

Dr SPS Grover said, “We had been working on the project for the past two years and it is good to see it coming to fruition. The van is equipped with a mammography unit and PAP smear equipment to detect cervical cancer. It shall have a nurse, driver, a technician and two doctors. It shall go to various villages, urban areas and also hospitals which call for the service. The society or panchayat calling the van will have to pay some nominal diesel or technician expenses to the tune of Rs 5,000 or so for a camp. But none of the patients shall be charged for the tests or diagnosis. In addition to the tests, as many as 1,000 cervical cancer prevention vaccines will also be administered to the willing girls in the age group from 8 to 14 to prevent the disease. For the coming some months, these vaccines shall also be administered absolutely for free. We plan weekly visits and at least two to three camps a month. The rest will depend on the demand of the panchayats and associations calling us.”

Dr Grover said one cervical cancer prevention vaccine costs Rs 4,000.

The van has been sponsored by both the Rotary Club Jalandhar West as well as Rotary Club Sudbury Canada.