Need to make cancer screening a routine, says Ma Su

CHENNAI: As many as 9,566 people have been screened for cancer in Ranipet, of which 222 people are reported to have first stage of breast cancer. Speaking at the inaugural of several infrastructural projects in Ranipet on Friday, the minister said that early screening of cancer should be encouraged to prevent mortality.

The state health department had conducted the screening for cancer in four districts including Ranipet, Erode, Kanyakumari, and Thirupathur, of which highest number of breast cancer cases were reported in Ranipet. The screening is being done by the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine as part of the organised cancer screening in the district. He emphasised on making cancer screening a routine to detect cancer care at the earliest.

Talking about the increasing prevalence of cancer due to industrial pollution, health minister said that the state health department is undertaking various researches towards the prevention of cancer, cancer care and treatment. Since Ranipet has a large number of industrial units, we are also trying to understand the environmental factors that can cause cancer," he said.

Health Minister Ma Subramanian inaugurated several health infrastructure in Ranipet on Friday. As many as 17 buildings have been constructed at a cost of Rs 23.75 crores for the state health department.

The state health minister said that a government hospital is being constructed in Shollingur in Ranipet at a cost of Rs 55 crores and will be inaugurated soon. He announced that the Arakkonam government hospital will also receive a new emergency building that is being constructed at a cost of Rs 23 crores.