ANIL SHANKWALKER
PORVORIM
Though the incidence of breast cancer is high among Goan women, four mobile clinic vans, equipped with mammography ultrasound and pathology unit, purchased by the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) to detect breast cancer in rural and urban areas, are gathering dust, one of which is at the Mapusa District Hospital for the last couple of years.
The four mobile clinic vans costing crores of rupees were launched with much fanfare in January 2010 by the DHS in association with NGO Muskan, working for the cause of women and children when Vishwajit Rane was the health minister. These vans, which are unusable, were meant to help medical personnel to tour the villages and create awareness and diagnose breast cancer. There are over 200 cases of breast cancer detected in Goa every year, out of which 50% cases are of women in the age group of 30 to 50 and 6% in the age group below 25
In complete waste of tax payers’ money and without reaching out to cancer patients, all four mobile clinic vans in Goa are lying idle. Each of the vans were purchased at exorbitant cost under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). Two of the vans have got a mammography screening facility along with a simple biopsy facility using ultrasound and mammography.
According to Health Surveys, Goa has one of the highest incidents of breast cancer owing to diverse reasons such as late marriages, delayed pregnancies, declined fertility, nil or less breastfeeding, improper nutrition, sedentary lifestyle leading to lack of exercise among women.
Speaking to Herald, noted cancer specialist cum surgeon Dr Shekhar Salker said he had suggested to the DHS not to take responsibility for maintaining the mammography vans, but instead hand them over to the Muskan group and give them grants to operate them.
“I had also mentioned categorically not to take these vans to the villages as village roads are in bad condition. Since the instruments installed in these vans are very sensitive, they would get damaged. The Directorate of Health Services should have kept these vehicles at each of the Primary Health Centres in Goa twice a month for the benefit of the women,” Dr Salker said.
He added that over 200 cases of breast cancer are being detected in Goa every year, out of which 50% cases are of women in the age group of 30 to 50 and 6% in the age group below 25. “Cases of breast cancer are on the rise in Goa and out of the total cancer cases, 20% cases are of breast cancer. Hence, the government should create awareness among the public about the dreaded disease and should also train Aganwadi staff in this regard,” said Dr Salker.
Medical Superintendent of district hospital Dr M Mohandas said the State government has decided to dismantle these vans and install the equipment in the district hospital. “Siemens has quoted Rs 2 lakh for this work. The district hospital, Mapusa, has received approval from the DHS and Siemens will soon take up the dismantling work of the vehicle,” the medical superintendent said.
Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, who holds the charge of health department, said he has ordered enquiry into the purchase of these four units which are lying idle to find out whether these vans met the required specifications at the time of their purchase.
“These vans are practically not road worthy. This is a waste of public money and hence the truth must come to light in the purchase of these four vehicles, the cost of which is in crores of rupees,” D’Souza said.
