Now, cancer detection on wheels

Efficient screening and early detection holds the key to contain the growing number of non-communicable diseases. The Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, in this direction, will soon run a mobile cancer bus.

Speaking on the sidelines of an event organised on the Hospital premises here on Tuesday, Dr K B Lingegowda, director, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, said that the mobile cancer bus would be donated by the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).

The facility is likely to be available to the public by March this year. As per the proposal, the bus would have facilities like digital X-ray device, digital mammography, ENT screening equipment, pap smear table, pathology lab, colonoscopy (for gynaecological screening) and prostate cancer screening. Dr Lingegowda said early detection was the key to treat cancer. “As part of ‘World Cancer Day,’ we conducted screening in seven places across the State. The new bus will help us conduct the screening camps with ease,” he added.

The proposal has been submitted and the bus would be readied at an estimated Rs two crore. Besides providing logistics for cancer screening, the Hospital authorities are hopeful that they can create awareness about the disease with the new facility.

On board will be a crew of 19 members comprising three surgeons, a gynaecologist, X-ray technicians, mammography technicians, cyto technicians, patho technicians, nurses, attenders and a driver.