New Delhi, Feb 08, 2025, IANS

New Delhi, Feb 8 (IANS) More than 14.6 crore women across the country have been screened for breast cancer, and over nine crore for cervical cancer, said Union Health Minister J P Nadda. In a written response to a question in Lok Sabha, Nadda noted that 57,184 women were diagnosed with breast cancer while 50,612 are receiving treatment. Further, 96,747 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer and 86,196 are under treatment, said the Union Minister citing the National Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) portal. The National NCD Portal was rolled out by the government in 2018 under NP-NCD for non communicable diseases (NCDs) screening and management and ensuring continuum of care for five common NCDs, including breast and cervical cancer. To prevent and control major NCDs like hypertension, diabetes, oral cancer, breast cancer and cervical cancer, the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) was also launched by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, in 2010. It aimed to strengthen infrastructure, human resource development, health promotion, early diagnosis, management and referral to an appropriate level of healthcare facilities. Under the programme, “770 district NCD clinics, 233 cardiac care units (CCU), 372 district day care centres and 6,410 NCD clinics at community health centres have been set up across the country”, Nadda said. Meanwhile, the Department of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to the states and Union Territories under the NP-NCD as part of National Health Mission (NHM). The programme focusses on strengthening infrastructure, human resource development, early diagnosis, referral to an appropriate level of healthcare facility for treatment and management and health promotion and awareness generation for prevention of NCDs, Nadda said. Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) administer community-based assessment checklist (CBAC) for all individuals of 30 years and above age group in the population. Risk assessment for NCDs is done through CBAC and all the high-risk individuals are referred for screening of common NCDs as part of the comprehensive primary health care under NHM, Nadda stated.