The Indo-American Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Hyderabad, has announced a new scheme named after the late Basava Tarakam, wife of N T Rama Rao, for treatment of cervical cancer in women belonging to the lower economic strata. The scheme will cover white ration card-holders, pensioners who get less than Rs 2,000 per month, and those over 70 years.

Announcing the scheme on the occasion of the third anniversary celebrations of the Institute, Health Minister Dr Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, who is also the chairman of the Institute, said the scheme was being launched to commemorate the memory Basava Tarakam, wife the late Chief Minister N T Rama Rao, who had died of cancer. He said Basava Tarakam had wished that a cancer Institute with state-of-the-art facilities for the management of cancer should come up for the benefit of cancer patients from among the poorer sections.

The scheme was being launched with an objective to provide treatment for a large number of women suffering from cervical cancer, which constituted 30- 40 per cent of all cancer cases. It was predominant among women in the lower socio-economic group because of early marriages, frequent childbirths, poor personal hygiene, and sexually transmitted diseases.

Dr Rao said the Institute, during the last three years, had treated over 12,000 cancer patients and screened 8,500 individuals at the free cancer screening programme.

Institute Director Dr Mohana Vamsi said the scheme included protocol charges, treatment planning, simulation, 25 days treatment by cobalt followed by three times treatment with high dose rate brach therapy for a total package of Rs 10,000.The treatment in private hospitals would cost anywhere between Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000, he said.

Vamsi said most of the patients were women from rural areas who had discontinued treatment as they were unable to bear the hospital cost. Only a total treatment with telecobalt followed by brach therapy gave best results and increased the longevity of the patients. He said the patients could now take advantage of the subsidised package and get relief from the disease.