As the fight against world’s second deadliest form of cancer continues across the nation, Jharkhand has emerged as a pioneer State in the cervical cancer eradication campaign in India. The fact was validated today in a review meeting chaired by Additional Chief Secretary of State Health department, where it was revealed that a total of 2,81,199 women in the symptomatic, reproductive and high risk categories throughout the state, have been screened for cervical cancer, in 2 years and 7 months, against a target of 2,70, 684 .

The meeting was chaired by Additional CS Arun Kumar Singh, was attended by Nari Shakti Puraskar Awardee Dr. Bharti Kashyap, who is an Eye Donation Activist and Vision Activist since 1991 and has been actively working as a Cervical cancer Activist since 2014 and is the President of Women Doctors Wing, IMA, Jharkhand. The meeting was virtually attended by civil surgeons and women gynaecologists of all districts, across the State.

In the meeting cervical cancer screening of every district of the entire state and the 7-month reports of suspected patients found in the state and their treatment, which were sent from every district, were reviewed.

According to the Jharkhand model made in 2021, the target was to screen 2,70684 women of reproductive potential who have symptoms of cervical cancer or who are in a high risk category. However, in 2 years and 7 months, 281199 women were screened in the State in the period. Machines for testing and treating cervical cancer have also been installed in 12 government hospitals of the state. In the last 7 months, 10274 screenings have been done by RIMS with the help of Tata Trust Outreach and Tata Trust Kiosks.

From April 2023 to October 2023, maximum number of suspected cervical cancer patients was found in Lohardaga 63 Deoghar 46 Khunti 44, Ranchi 39 Hazaribagh 32 Bokaro 25 East Singhbhum, 25 Dhanbad 22, Pakur 17 and Godda 16.

The Additional CS said that the Health Department, along with the Women Doctors Wing, IMA, Jharkhand, created the Jharkhand Model and also achieved the target, therefore, within a week, he directed to make the Women Doctors Wing the official partner of the National Health Mission in the cervical cancer eradication campaign.  He greatly appreciated the 2 years 7 months cervical cancer screening spearheaded by Dr. Bharti Kashyap.

Apart from the 48 monthly women's health camps being run for cervical cancer screening in the state, he also ordered to organize 264 women's health camps every month for 264 blocks, in which he proposed to send a gynaecologist from Sadar Hospital to the camp. He also ordered an honorarium of Rs 50 per patient for bringing a woman suspected of cervical cancer to the camp.

National Co-Chairman and State President of Women Doctors Wing, Dr. Bharti Kashyap said that this campaign of the National Health Mission will continue unabated. “The success that we have got in Jharkhand due to the Jharkhand model created by us will also be replicated in other states of our country. This model can be found and we have also sent it to IMA head quarter,” she said.

What is Jharkhand model?

After long discussions with top cancer gynaecologists of the country, it was concluded that if the third part of WHO Cervical Cancer Elimination Policy 90 70 90 is implemented in Jharkhand, then cervical cancer can be eliminated in a low resource state like Jharkhand. The third part of the WHO Cervical Cancer Elimination Policy is that if 90 per cent of women with cervical inflammation are screened and treated, then cervical cancer can be prevented. After discussions with top cancer gynaecologists, it was concluded that cervical cancer screening should be made mandatory for 6 per cent women of reproductive potential in every district of the state, who have symptoms of genital swelling or who fall in the high risk category. By this 100 per cent patients with cervical inflammation can be screened.

Cervical Cancer Eradication Campaign-1: Additional Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Singh and National Co-President of Women Doctors Wing Dr. Bharti Kashyap participating in the review meeting of the Cervical Cancer Eradication Campaign in Ranchi on Thursday.