Ranchi: Jharkhand becomes the first state in India where a branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has been officially partnered with the National Health Mission (NHM) for the elimination of cervical cancer.
This partnership will give a major boost to the campaign being led by the Women Doctors Wing of IMA Jharkhand, which has been actively working in remote areas of the state since 2014. The wing has been regularly organizing large-scale women’s health camps focused on cervical cancer awareness and screening.
The campaign is spearheaded by Dr. Bharti Kashyap, Chairperson of the Women Doctors Wing, IMA Jharkhand, who was honored with the Nari Shakti Puraskar by the President of India. The “Jharkhand Model” created by the state health department for cervical cancer screening has already exceeded its targets in terms of success.
India loses approximately 67,000 women each year to cervical cancer, making it the second most common cancer among Indian women. However, cervical cancer is also one of the most preventable and treatable forms of cancer if detected early.
Jharkhand Health Minister Dr. Irfan Ansari stated that this MoU with IMA had been pending for years and its execution marks a historic and impactful first-of-its-kind initiative in the country. He emphasized that this would become a model for other states, and all civil surgeons will be directed to carry out regular and extensive screening programs in their districts.
The highlights of the campaign are Under the Jharkhand Model in collaboration with the health department, over 5 lakh women of reproductive age were screened in 2021.2,792 women with cervical erosion were treated using cryotherapy, a preventive step to stop progression to cervical cancer.
A network of trained government gynecologists across the state has been established. They have received specialized training from leading cancer specialists in pre-cancer detection and colposcopy-guided cryo treatment. Digital colposcopes and cryo machines have been installed in 14 major government hospitals in the state to support diagnosis and treatment.
Dr. Bharti Kashyap will be presenting two of her research papers at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery’s annual conference, to be held in Los Angeles from April 20 to 25, 2025.
This initiative not only marks a milestone in public health efforts within India but also demonstrates how grassroots leadership and targeted partnerships can bring about real change in women’s healthcare.