Introduction
In our ongoing work on providing cancer screening and health care facilities to rural areas of Uttarakhand, Mangala Kshema Trust (MKT) collaborated with Ganga Prem Hospice (GPH), Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Center (RGCIRC), Vatsalya Charitable Trust, and Kuflon Charitable Trust (KCT) to hold a free cancer screening and health care camp at Village Haripur Kalan, Dehradun District on the 7th of July, 2024.
Haripur Kalan Health Camp
Haripur Kalan is a small rural community near Dehradun. The health camp was held there at the request of the community leaders who wanted to hold a health and cancer screening camp in their area. Though Haripur Kalan is close to the District Headquarter of Dehradun, where there are ample medical facilities, the village itself does not have adequate screening facilities and most people do not wish to travel to Dehradun to get a screening done when they are not feeling sick or showing any symptoms.
Knowing the reluctance of most people to go to a hospital or to get a test done without any real discomfort, it was decided to honor their wishes and hold this camp.
Cancer Screening & Health Camp Report
The timings for the camp were from 9.00 am to 2.00 pm. The GPH and RGCIRC team reached the venue which was the Anganvaadi Center in Village, before time to set up and be ready to begin registration of patients from 9.00 am. There were three doctors present at the venue. Dr. Taranjit Singh, Chief Medical Officer/Consultant Palliative Care, Ganga Prem Hospice; Dr. Prerna Verma, ENT Specialist, RGCIRC; and Dr. Shashi Rakheja, Gynecologist, Senior Consultant Oncology, RGCIRC.
The three doctors together examined a total of eighty patients. Out of these, five women patients were sent for PAP smear tests.
MKT team members were present from the start to the conclusion of the camp, assisting the GOH team and ensuring the smooth operation of the camp.
Free Medicines were distributed to the patients where necessary. General health examinations and free Blood Pressure checkups were done for all the patients. Any patient who needed additional investigations or diagnostic tests was referred to collaborating Diagnostic Labs where they can avail substantial discounts on all the investigative tests advice by the doctors.
The camp concluded at 2.00 pm and the team returned to GPH’s Raiwala facility.
MKT and KCT are together organizing another camp in collaboration with GPH and RGCIRC in the second week of August at the GPH Raiwala facility. It will cover a larger segment of rural population based in and around Raiwala.
Donate to make this camp a success.