Port Blair, Feb 26: A Cancer Awareness and Screening Medical Camp was organised by Andaman & Nicobar Command for Service personnel and families of Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard.on 25 Feb 15 at INHS Dhanvantari, Port Blair. The camp was inaugurated by Mrs Rubu Chateerjee, President Defence Wives Welfare Association, Andaman and Nicobar Command, with the support of Indian Cooperative Oncology Network – a public charitable trust working in this field since the year 2000. Dr Purvish Parikh, a renowned medical Oncologist and Hematologist, Executive Director of the trust was the Chief Guest. In his address, Dr Purvish Parikh emphasised the need for ensuring consistent and best preventive health care for the men in uniform and their families.
Various health concerns of women of different age groups were discussed during the session. Screening facilities for breast and gynecological cancer with facilities for USG examination, Pap Smear etc were arranged during the camp. The response was overwhelming with 172 persons attending the camp.
Cancer, a killer disease is a big threat to mankind with many people succumbing to it. To reduce risk, the most important step is to undergo regular tests, especially for populations that are at higher risk. The common cancers in women are uterine cervical cancer, breast and oral cancer (60% of all cancers in women). Among men, 40% of cancers are tobacco related. Today, although we have the potential and expertise to cure 2 out of 3 of the common cancers, we are curing only 1 out of 3. The major obstacle to early detection is the unfounded fear of cancer, lack of awareness that common cancers are not only curable in the early stage but preventable. Prevention is better than cure. The thrust area in cancer control is cancer education, awareness, early detection and prevention. INHS Dhanvantari conducts Cancer Screening Camps every year as part of health promotion and positive health campaign in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
