Tirupati: SVIMS making rapid strides in combating cancer disease

Tirupati: Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) has been making rapid strides in combating cancer disease in the district. About Rs.10,000 worth of screening tests are being carried out to each woman free of cost to diagnose the disease in its early stages. The Institute has been making use of the 'Pink Bus' which was launched in December 2018 to focus on Women's health and diagnose cancer in its early stages.

Since then with the help of the Pink Bus vehicle, 53 cancer screening camps were conducted at various parts of the district taking the services to the doorstep of women particularly in backward regions. After the Director-cum-Vice Chancellor Dr B Vengamma took over the charge of the Institute, during the last five months 40 camps were held.

Till now almost 6,000 women were screened in the bus and the camps are proved to be fruitful in early detection of cancer in six patients who have been undergoing further treatment at SVIMS Cancer institute.

The Director Dr Vengamma said that their main focus was on three major cancers affecting women – Breast, Cervix and Oral cavity. The bus has been helping women in prevention to palliation at their doorstep. Women have been responding to the Pink Bus campaign as they can undergo tests in their locality itself", she maintained.

The doctors have been saying that the death burden can be reduced by diagnosing the disease in its early stages which may reduce the treatment costs also. Presently most of the cases were being detected in advanced stages of 3 or 4 which has been resulting in deaths. Knowing the importance of the initiative, several MLAs in the district have been asking SVIMS authorities to conduct more and more camps in their areas.

The patients undergoing screening at the Pink Bus in SVIMS on Tuesday on the occasion of World Cancer Day have expressed satisfaction over the tests.