Cervical cancer Screening in Rural India
Clinic on Wheels
Women in rural India are at risk of developing cervical cancer due to the lack of timely access to healthcare facilities. Despite cervical cancer being a fully preventable disease, women in rural India are the victims of this disease due to the lack of timely detection and prevention. To help resolve this, GeBBS Foundation, have started a unique concept of mobile vans called “Clinic On Wheels” to provide primary healthcare to women in rural India at their doorstep. For GeBBS Foundation, Cervical and Breast cancer are the two major focus areas because they affect more than 50% of the women in rural India.Program Objectives
The project has four main objectives:1. Build awareness about cervical & breast cancer amongst between 30 to 60 years old woman.
2. Screening of women a special focus on Pap Smear Screening
3. Selection & Training ASHAs and Arogya Mitras to serve the rural women in cervical and breast cancer prevention, screening and related primary health issues
4. Establishment of “Arogya Banks” in each of the Project Villages to make the villages self-sufficient in primary as well as preventive health needs of the village.
Screening Camps
Our screening camp teams are provided with Mobile Cancer Detection Vans (Clinic on Wheels) with necessary facilities and equipment to conduct the screening tests. The ASHAs, Arogya Mitras, the GeBBS Foundation Volunteers and other organizations register women for these camps in advance. The Mobile Cancer Detection Vans visit the villages as per a set schedule and conduct the Screening Camps.
1. The Camp Team will consist of a trained female ANM and an assistant
2. Camp Procedure: The Screening process will include recording the medical history, general Check Up, Clinical Examination, PAP Smear Test and Health Advice. It will also include follow up of cases from the previous camp.
3. The PAP Smear samples will be sent to the hospitals in Aurangabad and Jalna for investigations
4. If the PAP Smear test results warrant further investigation, the patient and her family are notified, and necessary guidance and assistance is provided.
5. About 3 to 4 such camps per year are held in each village.
| Sr. No. | Activities | Annual Target |
| 1 | Survey of Project Villages | 1 Program |
| 2 | No. of project Villages | 50 |
| 3 | Population to be covered | 70000 |
| 4 | No of monthly meetings | 12 |
| 5 | PIMC Quarterly Meetings | 4 |
| 6 | Village Health Committee Meetings/ Exposure Visits | 50 (One per village) |
| 7 | Video Shows | 50 (One per village) |
| 8 | Sasu Maa Group Meetings | 50 (One per village) |
| 9 | Pap smear screening camps | 240 |
| 10 | No of women to be screened | 9600 |
| 11 | ASHA/Arogya Mitra Training | 4 Programs |
| 12 | Establishing Arogya Banks | 50 |
| 13 | Final Evaluation and Final Report Preparation | 1 |
• To achieve better participation and results, the health education/awareness activities are blended with traditional get-together programs
• The awareness programs is conducted and times and locations that are convenient to rural women.
Project Area
The Project Area will comprise of all the villages in Aurangabad and Jalna districts in Maharashtra. However, in Phase-1 of the project will focus on 50 villages in these two districts.
Project Area Demographics
| District | Aurangabad | Jalna |
| Male Female Sex | 1000:917 | 1000:937 |
| Total Population | 36,95,928 | 19,59,04 |
| Male Population | 19,28,156 | 10,11,47 |
| Female Population | 17,67,772 | 9,47,573 |
| Growth Rate | 27.33 | 21 |
| Density | 356/sq km | 254/sq.km |
| Average Literacy Rate | 0.804 | 71.52 |
| Male Literacy | 0.89 | 81.5 |
| Female Literacy | 0.7081 | 61 |
| Child Sex Ratio Male:Female |
1000:848 | N.A. |
| Total Population of 0-6 years | 5,16,791 | 2,87,338 |
| % of 0-6 years | 13.98 | 14.66 |
| % of Rural Population | 56.26 | 80.73 |
| % of Literacy in Rural Females | 61.58 | N.A. |
Methodology
GeBBS Foundation provides the Mobile Cancer Detection Vans (Clinic on Wheels) which are equipped with the required facilities and equipment. The Foundation will take the assistance of Primary Health Centers, the ASHAs, Arogya Mitras and other organizations willing to participate in this program to spread awareness and register women for the screening camps. The Foundation is in the process of working out a plan to provide necessary incentives to the ASHAs and Arogya Mitras for registering women for these camps.
GeBBS Foundation partners with hospitals in Aurangabad and Jalna that have the required treatment facilities and are willing to participate in this program. GeBBS Foundation is looking to partner with additional facilities to expand the scope of this program. The Foundation provides fully equipped mobile vans and compensates the hospitals for any direct additional cost they incur for the program.
