Lack of awareness, insufficient number of pathologists and lack of screening programme by government are some of the key factors that are resulting in around 200 deaths per day due to cervical cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) in India. The situation will go out of control if it is not controlled at this stage, warned Dr C N Purandare, president of The Federation of Obstetric & Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI).
"We have already approached the Union ministry of health and family welfare to push up the screening programmes but it will not happen right now. Nothing in Indian government happens overnight. Government may start conducting screening programmes after a couple of years," he said.
Every woman who is sexually active is at the risk cervical cancer. Pointing out about the negligence and lack of awareness, Dr Purandare said, "In this country, very little number of people visit doctors for their routine check ups. Women visit the gynaecologists only when during pregnancy or if they have some serious health problems."
Therefore FOGSI, under its this year's theme of 'Saving Lives', has taken initiatives to spread awareness among the gynaecologists through 100 CME programmes and to provide health check ups through camps in villages. Its 202 societies will adopt 202 villages, each village with one lakh population, and conduct gynaecological health check ups.
"Through CME programmes experts of the field would be addressing gynaecologists to stress on the importance of the cervical cancer and breast cancer tests. We will pass on the message that these healthcare professionals should explain each and every female patient who visits them about these diseases, symptoms and regular health check ups. The message will also be spread to the general physicians that they test female patients for breast cancer," explained Dr Purandare.
"Gynaecological health check up camps under our Village Adoption project has been funded by various sources. Some organisation is helping with the equipment; some are providing medical support and so on," he informed.
Moreover, FOGSI will be organising a huge World Congress on Recent Advances in obstetric and gynaecology from September 11th to September 13th this year at Nehru Centre, Mumbai, he added.