A PPP in healthcare fights to mitigate a fatal cancer

A group of 8-10 women has assembled in a nondescript two-storey building nestled in a swarm of tin-roofed dwellings in a dingy lane off Canal Road in Kolkata on an August afternoon.

They are all working women, who have taken time out of their schedules, ranging from washing utensils and clothes to sweeping the streets, for a free medical check-up.

The medical examination is not ordinary one, but for cervical cancer, which is caused by the human papilloma virus infection and affects the cervix, a part of the female reproductive tract.

With a formal education of just a few years, the women are unaware of many general health issues, least of all cervical cancer, which results in 75,000 deaths annually in the country.
Take Meena Sahu for example, who was found afflicted with cervical cancer.

Being the only breadwinner in a family of four, including two young children, the frail woman neither had time nor money to invest in her health.

It was only when a health worker visited her slum last month and informed her of a free camp nearby, Sahu got herself screened for the malady. A doctor at the camp, Swarnalata Soren, said investigations revealed that Sahu had cervical cancer.

“It was at the initial stage and she is getting treated,” says Soren.
Sahu, who works as a sanitary worker with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is relieved that timely intervention helped in saving her life.

Jaydip Biswas, director, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI), Kolkata where Sahu was treated, says so far about 12,400 poor women in seven districts of West Bengal have been screened. “Sixteen were detected with cancer and given treatment.”

CNCI, an autonomous body funded by the central and state governments, joined hands with a German medical and testing technology firm Qiagen, and with support from 37 local NGOs is going about screening poor women in districts including Hooghly, Howrah, Bankura, Bardhaman, Medinapore, South 24 Parganas, and North 24 Parganas.

This public-private partnership, which started in March 2010, aims at screening over 50,000 women by 2015. Women who test positive (indicating higher risk of developing cancer) are counselled and remedies are provided.

The project is free for the women, with the technological support and funds for screening coming from Qiagen, while logistical support extended by CNCI along with free treatment if detected with cancer.

“India is a huge country and cervical cancer is a big issue here. We wanted to be on the field to understand the needs of individual patients. We want to work more with the government and local partners to expand this programme,” says Brendan Green, communications manager (Asia Pacific), Qiagen.

The firm had given a global call for a programme like this and CNCI was chosen to participate.

“Various estimates state that India sees 130,000 new cases of cervical cancer annually. Being a large-scale issue, it needs involvement from all stakeholders including government, private firms and local NGOs which work at the grassroots level,” says Biswas.

Whenever a project like this is undertaken, poor women who have never heard of cancer have to be convinced to come and participate by warding off myths and apprehensions, says Sony Prasad, chairperson of a local NGO Prem Parivar.

“We have to go door to door and convince them to get screened. Some have prejudices, some are not allowed by their families. We tell them it would take only 5-10 minutes and is painless.” Reshma Bibi who works as a maid had accompanied her neighbour for the screening when she was coaxed by Prasad to get screened. Bibi tested positive and is getting treated.

Soren says the targets for this programme are women from underprivileged backgrounds between 30 and 60 years.

“The risks of cervical cancer are high among women with early sexual exposure, multiple partners or multiple pregnancies. But it is always better for all women above 30 years to get screened. Women who test positive are re-screened again after a year.”

Green says Qiagen is interested in expanding this programme to other parts of India.