AP health minister announced free cancer screening

“The screening, which will continue for six to nine months, is aimed at ultimately making AP a cancer-free state,” Satya Kumar underlined at a media conference in the state secretariat at Velagapudi in Amaravati on Thursday.

The minister organised the press conference coinciding with the Cancer Awareness Day being observed on Thursday to educate people about the growing number of cancer patients in the country. He unveiled posters and pamphlets related to the cancer screening drive.

Satya Kumar said cancer patients identified during the drive will be sent to referral hospitals, so that they can be appropriately treated. He pointed out that the NDA alliance government is spending around ₹700 crore annually on prevention of cancer in Andhra Pradesh.

The minister said the state government is aiming to screen 3.94 crore people of the state, who have completed 18 years of age. Women can undergo screening for breast and cervical cancer at their homes free of charge. He said while 2 crore women above the age of 18 will be screened for breast cancer, 1.63 crore women above the age of 30 will be checked for cervical cancer.
Satya Kumar pointed out that about 18,000 personnel of the health department have already been trained in screening cancer in coordination with the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital.

The minister said China ranks first in countries where cancer is spreading in the world. America is second and India stands third. “Every year, 14.10 lakh people are diagnosed with cancer in India, 9.10 lakh of whom succumb to the disease. In AP, 74,000 people get affected by cancer annually, 40,000 of whom die,” Satya Kumar added.