Dhanbad health dept ‘indifferent’ to CM’s cancer-scan scheme

DHANBAD: The district health department has thrown chief minister’s ambitious plan to make Jharkhand free of cervical and breast cancer to the wind.

In September, Raghubar Das had launched Mukhyamantri Nishulk Chikitsa Yojna (MMNCY) to enable women above 30 to undergo free-ofcost diagnostic tests and treatment for cervical and breast cancer.

However, reports suggest that not a single woman has been screened in any district so far.

Taking a note of the indifferent attitude of district health department, additional chief secretary (ACS), health, K Vidyasagar, in a review meeting on Thursday, warned civil surgeons across the state of dire consequences if the plan is not implemented on time.

After Kerala and Maharashtra, Jharkhand is third state in the country to launch this health scheme.

Earlier on September 27, Vidyasagar had written to the civil surgeons (CS) of all 24 districts asking them to start work on the scheme.

As per MMNCY, the health department has been tasked to carry out out tests of woman at Swasth Mela of the district, organized every month at the block and panchayat-level and once in three months at urban health centres.

The state health department reports, however, suggest that most of the districts do not hold Swasth Mela.

A senior official of state health department said that for making chief minister’s this ambitious health plan (MMNCY)popular in state civil surgeons had been directed to get Sahiyya , Aaganbawdi Sevika and ANM tested first so that other woman could be attracted towards it but they (CSs) have not followed till date.

“There are 50,000 Aaganwadi Sevika, 40,000 Sahiyya and around 10,000 ANM in the state. Had the civil surgeon got their respective district’s Sahiyya , Sevika and ANM tested, other women would have also showeed programme in the state so far”, said the a senior officer of the health department, who refused to be named.