To help in early detection of cancer in rural areas, the State Health Department is set to launch eight fully-equipped cancer detection buses under the ‘Pink Bus’ project this year.
Sources in the department told The Hindu that the proposal had been included in the State Budget to be presented on March 5. As early diagnosis of cancer generally increases the chances of successful treatment, the focus is on detecting symptomatic patients as early as possible. Delays in accessing cancer care are common with late-stage presentation, particularly in lower resource settings and vulnerable populations.
Pink Bus project
The ‘Pink Bus’ project is an extension of the two cancer detection buses run by the State-run Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology. The buses, equipped with cancer detection equipment, including ultrasound, X-ray, mammogram for breast examination, and colposcope for cervix examination, have been donated to the institute by Bharat Electroncis Ltd. (BEL) and the Association of Kannada Kootas of America (AKKA).
Although the proposal was chalked out during the tenure of the previous JD(S)–Congress coalition government headed by H.D. Kumaraswamy, it did not materialise.
“The eight buses will be procured under the National Health Mission funds and will be manned by a team of doctors, paramedical staff, and technicians. The buses will also have a laboratory for collecting blood and biopsy samples. They will be stationed in different districts based on the need,” sources said.
Early detection is key
The sources said that the buses would also be used to create awareness specifically on early detection of cancer.
Kidwai director C. Ramachandra said the consequences of delayed or inaccessible cancer care are lower likelihood of survival, greater morbidity of treatment, and higher costs of care. “Early diagnosis improves cancer outcomes and is therefore an important public health strategy,” he said.
Dr. Ramachandra said early detection is the key, especially in breast cancer that has seen the highest rise in incidence in the last two decades.
“The goal of screening for early breast cancer detection is to identify breast abnormalities as early as possible. A mammogram can find breast cancer before it can be felt,” he said.
“The incidence of breast cancer was 26 per 1 lakh people two decades ago. Now it has gone up to 34 per 1 lakh people. This trend is more prevalent among younger women. While hormonal imbalance is one of the causes, late marriage, late conception, early menarche and menopause are also contributing factors,” he added.
