Cancer not only affects a person, but everyone associated with the person. While there is an increased awareness about the disease in urban areas, cancer care in rural areas remains abysmal. To change the situation, Tata Memorial Hospital in Parel reached out to its former students working across Maharashtra. These oncologists are now part of a voluntary group of 57 doctors called Maharashtra Cancer Warriors (MCW), who have been working at the grassroots since the past one year, trying to make a difference.
"If cancer is detected early, it can be treated at a district hospital"
Dr Satish Sonawane (41) | Works in Ahmednagar: He has been working in Ahmednagar, his home district, since 2008. Talking about the district he said: "Majority of the cases here are of oral cancer due to tobacco consumption. There are also a lot of breast cancer and cervical cancer cases in the area." Sonawane attributes the large number of cases of cervical cancer to the lack of hygiene among women.
The doctor is working on spreading awareness in the community about the ill effects of tobacco and early cancer detection. A coordinator for MCW, he added: "I am from the region so I wanted to return home after my studies. We also go to schools to deliver lectures in an effort to create awareness."
"Ban on sale of tobacco within 100m of educational institution is not enforced strictly
Dr Brijmohan Zanwar (36) | Works in Latur: He has been actively involved in anti-tobacco campaign in the area since the past four years but in the last one year the focus has broadened to talking to the community about cancer.
Zanwar returned to Latur in 2012. Talking about the most common types of cancers he encounters, he said: "While it was thought that breast cancer was more common in urban areas I see a lot of cases here as well. Oral cancer patients and those with cervical cancer are also very common."
To reach out to those in the villages he seeks help from other groups like the Rotary Club and Lions Club. "We have been teaching people simple ways in which they can screen their oral cavity. The ban on tobacco around schools and colleges too is not strictly implemented here," he concluded.
"We train ASHA and anganwadi workers to spot early signs of cancer and refer cases to hospitals"
Dr Nilesh Chandak (37) | Works in Jalgaon: "70% of all cancers here are related to tobacco," said Chandak which by now is a view echoed by all doctors in most of the rural areas of the state. He, too, works with the local population to help them detect cancer at early stage so that they do not need to go to a tertiary care institute like the Tata in advanced stages.
"We train ASHA and anganwadi workers to spot early signs of cancer. They help refer cases to the district hospital," Chandak added. According to him many patients remain silent even after detecting early sign of cancer as the cost of the treatment worries them. "We try to deal with this by treating them at the civil or government hospital locally. Simple surgical procedure can help deal with cancer at the early stages in a majority of cases," he concluded.
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