Cervical Cancer Eradication Campaign

Jharkhand emerges as Pioneer State in Cervical Cancer Eradication Campaign through JHARKHAND MODEL

Addl CS Health fiat to make Women Doctors’ Wing as official partner with NHM

As the fight against world’s second deadliest form of cancer continues across the nation, Jharkhand has emerged as a pioneer State in the cervical cancer eradication campaign in India. The fact was validated in a review meeting of Health Dept., Government of Jharkhand and Women Doctors’ Wing Indian Medical Association Jharkhand chaired by Additional Chief Secretary of State Health department, where it was revealed that a total of 2,81,199 women in the symptomatic, reproductive and high risk categories throughout the state, have been screened for cervical cancer, in 2 years and 7 months, against a target of 2,70, 684 between April 2021 and October 2023

1. EMPOWERING WOMEN: Since 2015, Dr Kashyap has been empowering rural women, by organising Women Health Camps throughout Jharkhand, educating them on anaemia, genital hygiene, signs and risk factors of cervical pre cancer stressing on the need to take better care of themselves.
2. SPEARHEADING CERVICAL CANCER ERRADICATION: Dr Kashyap, in association with the state health department, has been spearheading Jharkhand’s battle against Cervical Cancer, by organising free Cervical Cancer Detection and precancer colposcopy guided cryo treatment Camps throughout Jharkhand and in the state run Sadar Hospitals. Oncogynaecologists from metro cities were also roped in to train government gynaecologists to lend more teeth to the cervical cancer eradication campaigns.

3. JHARKHAND MODEL FOR CERVICAL CANCER ERRADICATION: Dr Kashyap has facilitated evolving the first ever “JHARKHAND MODEL”and state government accepted her suggestions for making compulsory screening of 6 percent women in reproductive age with suggestive symptoms or high risk category ,all pregnant women, turning up at State hospitals.

A total of 2,81,199 reproductive age group women in the symptomatic, and high risk categories throughout the state, have been screened for cervical cancer, the second largest killer of women worldwide, between April 2021 and October 2023, against a target of 2,70,684 .
In 2014, after being elected Chairperson, Women Doctors’ Wing, Indian Medical Association, Jharkhand, Dr.Kashyap galvanised fellow women doctors to launch the first ever major offensive in Jharkhand, against Cervical Cancer, the big killer of women, worldwide. Dr.Kashyap led the Women Doctors Wing to organise series of Mega Women Health Camps, throughout the rural areas and in State run Sadar Hospitals of Jharkhand focusing on Cervical Cancer detection and treatment, at the camp sites.
At all Mega Women Health camps, women were educated on nutrition, genital hygiene, multiple pregnancies and evils of pushing their girl child into early marriages, thus empowering women, particularly rural women need to take better care of themselves and their daughters. Experts from all over the country, were also pooled in, to lend a helping hand to detect and treat cases of pre-cervical cancer.
In 2015, realising that much was needed to be done in very short time periods, Dr.Kashyap got in touch with top Gynae-Oncologists to impart training to all government sector Gynaecologists on use of Cryo Machines and Colposcope for early detection and cure of cervical pre cancer.
Due to Dr.Kashyap’s relentless campaign against cervical cancer, 13 government hospitals across Jharkhand have now been equipped with digital colposcope and Cryo set for detection and cure of cervical cancer.
Dr.Kashyap’s major contribution in the field of women empowerment and her battle against cervical cancer was in 2021, when in association with the state Health Department and after discussions with renowned oncologists and women gynaecologists from all over the country, evolved a unique low cost yet effective “Jharkhand Model”, by making suitable modifications to WHO strategy of cervical cancer eradication strategy, to kick start a state wide war against cervical cancer, the largest killer of women, worldwide.
The Jharkhand Model
While the first two parts of WHO 90-70-90 cervical cancer elimination strategy 2030 insisted on a 90 percent vaccination coverage of all girls and women in the reproductive age group, and screening of 70% women of reproductive age group by hi end technology, the Jharkhand Model was developed on the basis of the third part of WHO 90-70-90 strategy which suggests that 90% reproductive age group women suffering from pelvic inflammatory disease should be diagnosed and treated for eradication of cervical cancer. After multiple webinars of NHM and Women Doctors Wing, IMA, Jharkhand, attended by noted Gynae Oncologists of India the fact came out that 6% women of reproductive age group suffer from pelvic inflammatory diseases and if we screen this targeted group of reproductive age group women, we will be able to screen 100% women suffering from pelvic inflammatory disease, the revelation turned out to be the base of the Jharkhand model.
A low cost Jharkhand module was prepared for mandatory screening of 6 percent women of the reproductive age group in the high risk category and those suffering from symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease with the help of Sahiya network. Dr.Kashyap’s war against cervical cancer got a major push after the State Government accepted her recommendations of a “Jharkhand Model” in toto, directed holding of screening camps in all districts and even went a step further to fixed cervical cancer camps twice monthly and annual screening targets for all districts across Jharkhand in 2021.
The Jharkhand Model further suggested that all women turning up at State run government Hospitals for three months post delivery check ups along with their accompanying female relatives be also screened for cervical cancer, to achieve the desired goal of a cervical cancer free Jharkhand, within a fixed time frame. By this 100% women of reproductive age group suffering from pelvic inflammatory disease can be screened.
A review meeting of the State Health, medical education and family welfare department and Women Doctors’ Wing IMA Jharkhand held on November 23, 2023, that was chaired by Arun Kumar Singh, additional chief secretary, health, Govt. of Jharkhand revealed that a total of 2,81,199 reproductive age group women in the symptomatic, and high risk categories throughout the state, have been screened for cervical cancer, the largest killer of women worldwide, between April 2021 and October 2023, against a target of 2,70,684. While praising Women Doctors Wing, IMA, Jharkhand led by Dr.Bharti Kasshyap, for commendable work in the field of cervical cancer screening in Jharkhand, the additional chief secretary directed that Women Doctors Wing be made an official partner of the National Health Mission in cervical cancer eradication programme.
The Jharkhand Model carved by Dr.Bharti Kashyap is evolving as the gold standard in Cervical Cancer eradication. As a result of Dr.Kashyap’s initiatives, Jharkhand, today, is fast on its way to becoming the first cervical cancer free state in the country.