Fighting cervical cancer
Cervical cancer remains the leading cause of mortality for adult women in India. Three quarters of the world's burden of cervical cancer falls on developing countries such as India.
Late presentation of women with cervical cancer is predominantly due to both inadequate knowledge and lack of effective screening, especially in rural areas.
In 2001, IRHS became one of the first to implement cervical cancer screening and treatment using visual inspection of the cervix. We offer free screening in village clinics and in our own outpatient departments in four district hospitals in Telangana. If a suspected pre-cancerous lesion is found it is sampled and sent to a pathologist to be read, and, if proved positive, treated using cryotherapy (freezing). Women with invasive carcinoma are referred to Hyderabad’s cancer hospital for treatment.
Programme services
- Screening rural women for cervical cancer by VIA and VILI, as part of a cervical cancer screening programme
- Diagnosing and treating routine gynaecological problems
- Educating women about cervical cancer and the importance of cervical screening
- Educating women about breast cancer and the importance of regular self-screening
Our impact since 2001
1,11,561
women screened for cervical cancer
7,862
received cancer treatment and preventive care
For more information please read:
- Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) Sreening Program (2015), Indian Journal of Community Medicine.
- Cervical Cancer Prevention in Rural Mahabubnagar
- Hindu's article: Call to implement inexpensive cervical cancer screening method (14/07/15)