Door-to-door cancer screening tests to begin tomorrow

Tirupati: District Collector Dr S Venkateswar underlined the collective responsibility of healthcare officials and staff to work together in the fight against cancer.

During a review meeting held at the SVIMS Hospital auditorium on Tuesday, Dr Venkateswar highlighted the State government’s new initiative, which is set to begin on November 14. The programme involves door-to-door cancer screenings conducted by a team of doctors, ANMs and ASHA workers.

The meeting was attended by SVIMS Director Dr RV Kumar, SV Medical College Principal Dr PA Chandrasekhar, DM&HO Dr U Sreehari, Ruia Hospital superintendent Dr G Ravi Prabhu and others.

Together, they discussed strategies for the programme, aiming to make comprehensive cancer screenings accessible to every household across the district.

The Collector instructed the health department to make all necessary arrangements to ensure a smooth execution of the programme.

Ahead of the screenings, ASHA workers will visit villages, notifying residents about the programme and the upcoming medical checks. Every household member aged 18 and above will be screened for various health issues, including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, thyroid disorders, stroke and breast cancer.

The screenings are designed to be both high-quality and patient-friendly, with CHOs, ANMs and ASHA workers conducting the procedures with professionalism and care.

The Collector also advised ANMs to record any diagnosed conditions in the relevant app for accurate tracking. If serious illnesses are detected, patients will be offered immediate treatment by medical officers.

SVIMS Director Dr RV Kumar added that cancer screenings have already been conducted in rural areas using the Pink Bus programme and assured that those diagnosed with cancer would receive necessary treatment at SVIMS. On the occasion, the District Collector, along with SVIMS Director and others unveiled posters raising cancer awareness.