CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India ePress / ITDC News Bhopal: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla inaugurated a two-day free cancer screening camp at Vidisha Medical College. The health initiative aims to raise awareness about cancer and ensure timely detection of the disease. Vidisha district in-charge minister Lakhan Patel, local MLAs, public representatives, the directors of Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, and AIIMS Bhopal, along with senior cancer specialist doctors from across the country, were present at the inaugural function.
Addressing the gathering, the Union Minister said, "The whole of Vidisha has gathered here and I welcome all of you from the bottom of my heart. This is not merely a programme, but a grand yajna of human service. In Indian culture and in all religions, charity is regarded as the highest duty, and there is no greater virtue than serving others."
He said it was a matter of good fortune for him to get an opportunity to serve suffering and needy brothers and sisters. Such works of service, he said, strengthen the spirit of sensitivity, cooperation and humanity in society.
Every patient will get better treatment
Shivraj Singh Chouhan said people become frightened as soon as they hear the word cancer, but there is no need to panic now. He said hundreds of patients had already reached the camp for screening since morning and the number was continuously rising. Initially, the focus of the camp was on people from Vidisha, Raisen, Sehore and the Khategaon area, but humanity has no boundaries. That is why patients from several districts of the state have also come here for screening, he said.
Chouhan said, "I want to tell all my brothers and sisters that first of all, keep confidence and trust that you will recover. Every possible effort will be made for your treatment. We will not discharge our responsibility merely by organising a screening camp. After screening, a complete treatment plan will be prepared separately for every patient."
He said doctors would decide after screening which patient would require medicines, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and who would need surgery. "Our commitment is that no effort will be spared till the final outcome of treatment, and every patient will be ensured better care," he said.
The Union Minister said the real meaning of being a public representative is to remove the pain and suffering of the people. He said every effort would continue day and night to ensure that no patient faces any difficulty in treatment. He added that the entire expert team, including Dr Pankaj and Dr Madhavan, had also assured full support to patients until treatment is completed.
Tata Memorial Hospital unit to be established in Vidisha
Shivraj Singh Chouhan said he was deeply grateful to the Prime Minister for providing a broad vision not only for development but also for social reform. He said a vaccine had been developed to protect the daughters of the country from a serious disease like cancer, and Madhya Pradesh had emerged as a leader in the country in this vaccination campaign.
He said timely vaccination can help prevent a serious disease like cancer. Many young girls and women lose their lives due to cervical cancer, he said, and this immunisation campaign is extremely important for protecting their lives. He added that work in this regard is continuously underway here as well.
Chouhan said work was being taken forward to establish a unit of Tata Memorial Hospital, one of the country’s most prestigious cancer institutions, in Vidisha. He said the project would move ahead in phases, and the target is to begin operating the day-care facility after August 15.
He said the effort is to ensure that cancer patients do not have to go to Mumbai or other cities for treatment. Families face major hardship because of travel, accommodation and other costs when treatment is sought outside, he said. If better facilities are available here itself, it will provide major relief to patients and their families.
Gutka, tobacco and alcohol are major causes of cancer
Appealing to people to stay away from addiction such as gutka, tobacco and alcohol, the Union Agriculture Minister said the highest number of oral cancer cases in the country are caused by these habits. He said gutka and tobacco gradually become enemies of life and give rise to many serious diseases.
He said, "My brothers, stop consuming gutka. There is no need for it. Not only tobacco-based gutka, but even areca nut and the substances mixed with it can cause cancer. A habit of a few moments can become lifelong pain."
Shivraj Singh Chouhan also advised people to remain alert to the early symptoms of cancer. He said that if a white or red patch in the mouth does not heal for three weeks, if the mouth does not open fully, if there is difficulty in swallowing, persistent throat pain, or a sudden change in voice, these signs should not be ignored and cancer screening should be done immediately.
He said timely detection can make treatment easier and more successful. He also appealed to people to stay aware themselves and motivate their family members and others in society to stay away from addiction and undergo regular health check-ups.
Sisters and daughters should shed hesitation and get screened in time
The Union Agriculture Minister appealed to women not to hide health-related problems and to get screened in time, saying hesitation often turns a serious disease into a life-threatening one. He said he shares a close bond with sisters and daughters and therefore advises them to remain alert and not ignore any kind of problem.
He said women can themselves do preliminary checks in cases of breast cancer. If any lump is felt in the breast, medical examination should be done immediately without delay. If the disease is detected at an early stage, treatment is possible, but negligence can make it serious, he said.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan said women should also remain cautious about cervical cancer. He said that if there is abnormal bleeding between two menstrual cycles, pain during intercourse, unusual white discharge, or persistent pain in the lower abdomen, these should not be taken lightly and immediate examination should be done. These can be early signs of a serious disease, he said.
He also appealed to families to encourage women to speak openly about health issues, and said husbands, brothers and other relatives should motivate them to undergo screening. There should be no place for shame or hesitation in health examinations, he said, because timely detection is the most effective way to save lives.
Expressing concern, the Union Minister said a large number of women lose their lives prematurely to cancer every year, including girls and women in the 15 to 40 age group. He said cancer does not take only one life, but shatters an entire family. Therefore, the most important thing is timely detection and timely treatment so that precious lives can be saved.
Make de-addiction a mass movement
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan appealed to society to turn the anti-addiction campaign into a mass movement for cancer prevention. He said treatment of cancer is necessary, but it is even more necessary to eliminate the causes that give rise to the disease.
He said habits such as gutka, tobacco, bidi and alcohol are major reasons behind cancer and many serious diseases. Society should jointly run awareness campaigns against these so that people can be saved before they fall prey to illness, he said.
Chouhan said incidents of young people developing liver failure and reaching the stage of transplantation are extremely painful. Addiction destroys not only an individual, but the life of an entire family, he said. In such a situation, parents, society and public representatives all have a responsibility to keep youth away from addiction.
He said a de-addiction campaign would be run on a large scale in the Vidisha parliamentary constituency, and there is a need to take it forward across the state through public participation. He also spoke of stopping the sale of illicit liquor and said society itself should come forward village by village and raise its voice against it. Women’s participation, he said, can strengthen this campaign further.
The Union Minister said new forms of intoxicants and narcotic substances are now reaching the youth. Stopping them is not only the responsibility of the police and administration, but of the entire society, he said. If society stands aware and united against addiction, future generations can be saved from serious diseases.
He said expansion of cancer hospitals and treatment facilities is important in its own place, but the biggest goal should be to eliminate the root cause of the disease. For that, a broad public awareness campaign will have to be carried out.
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