Cancer Project

Cancer Awareness, Early Detection and Treatment Programme:

Recent World Health Organization’s reports highlight Cancer as a major emerging public health problem in times to come. Recognizing the magnitude of the problem, the Mandal initiated the unique community based “Cancer Awareness, Early Detection and Treatment programme” in the year 1999-2000. The project, which is being implemented in Anand and Kheda districts in collaboration with Tribhuvandas Foundation, is in its seventh year. The project covers 525 villages.

The objective of the programme includes increasing public awareness regarding various cancers, especially that of oral, cervical and breast cancers and to formulate strategies for risk reduction by stressing on the importance of early screening/ treatment. This process of education and awareness generation at the community level is carried out in a unique way.

A trained Village Health Worker (VHW) works in each village to impart to the community specific, culturally acceptable messages, through interpersonal communication and also mass media, thereby creating a favourable environment towards prevention and early detection which facilitates lifestyle changes, especially in terms of tobacco consumption.

Continuous on-the-job and refresher training programmes for the Village Health Worker (VHW) constitute an important element of the programme. The secondary level of service providers – the field workers and Group leaders, are equally important in providing support and carrying out, day-to-day supervision of VHWs working at the field level. To strengthen their skill, specially developed training programme along with visits to other cancer centers are being regularly being organized by the Mandal.

The entire programme is structured in a manner that cases who are ‘at risk’ or have suspected cancer are picked up by VHWs at the primary level and these patients then receive the full support of the hospital services. These identified cases are referred to the Shree Krishna Hospital for screening every Thursday (Cancer detection day). Depending on the nature of the complaint, suspected cancer cases undergo clinical examinations, mammograms, radiological examinations, pap test and fine needle aspiration cytology / biopsy at a highly subsidized rates. All the reports of the test, are conveyed to the respective VHW for follow-up.











The Thursday Cancer Camp

      An important component of the programme is Multi – diagnostic and Cancer detection camps at the community level which are organized every year in collaboration from Tribhuvandas Foundation. These camps are held regularly held at the remote centers of the Foundation and generally receive a very good response. On an average more than 400 / 500 patients attend such camps. The objective again remains that of early detection and treatment.

The state of the art Manibhai Shivabhai Patel Cancer Centre has equipped the Mandal to fight cancer in a more holistic manner. The centre is only the third of its kind in Gujarat. The centre is fully equipped to provide radiation therapy and chemotherapy. It has a Day Care Centre where patients, while taking necessary chemotherapy, also receive counseling to build their motivation and strength to complete the treatment. Since inception of the centre in August 2004, 2072 patients have undergone treatment for cancer at the centre.