Tata Trusts formally launched the Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) with mammography machine at its Sri Venkateswara Institute of Cancer Care Advanced Research (SVICCAR) here on Tuesday.
The Tatas had signed an MoU with the TTD management in 2017, based on which a Special Purpose Vehicle ‘Alamelu Charitable Foundation’ (ACF) was formed for implementation of its cancer care initiative. The state-of-the-art unit fitted in a bus will ply through Tirupati, Chittoor and adjoining districts of Rayalaseema to provide free-of-cost screening services to the underprivileged population. The initiative is aimed at screening the residents for non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes in addition to screening for oral, breast and cervical cancers.
The bus, fitted with mammography machine for high-risk individuals, is specially designed to meet the needs of people in remote areas. “Research has shown a 25% reduction in deaths from breast cancer among women who get screened regularly,” recalled Sanjiv Chopra, Chief Executive (Cancer care programme) of Tata Trusts. The screening tests will be performed as per the National Programme for Prevention of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) guidelines.
The beneficiaries in the age group of 30-65 years will also be offered health advisory services on lifestyle and nutrition. “The MMU has safe and comfortable sections to motivate beneficiaries to get themselves screened for early detection of NCDs, especially breast cancer,” explained SVICCAR medical oncologist Nageswara Reddy. The bus reached Chandragiri for its first camp.
