Latest news with #PublicHealthandPreventiveHealth
New Indian Express
26-05-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Use free service to detect oral, cervical, breast cancers: DPH chief Dr T S Selvavinayagam
CHENNAI: The general public must not miss the opportunity of cancer screening available in primary health centres and health sub-centres for early detection of the disease, advised Dr T S Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Health (DPH). In a video message on Saturday, the DPH appealed to people above 18 years of age to screen for oral cancer and women above 30 years to screen for breast and cervical cancer. Oral cancer screening should be done yearly, whereas breast and cervical cancer screening can be done once in three years. Since cancer cases have been rising, with diagnoses often made at an advanced stage, the government is now holding an organised screening programme, said Selvavinayagam. If diagnosed at an advanced stage, the damage may be severe, but if diagnosed early, it may be completely treatable, and the person can lead a normal life. The training is given at the village health nurses' level, who will map areas and invite people for screening to primary health centres and health sub-centres. Even if diagnosed with cancer, people can get treatment free of cost at government hospitals and also at private hospitals using the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme, Selvavinayagam added. Health Minister Ma Subramanian had launched an extension of the community cancer screening programme at Tiruvallur on May 12. The programme was launched on a pilot basis in 12 districts: Coimbatore, Kancheepuram, Tiruvarur, Dharmapuri, Karur, Tiruchy, Vellore, Theni, Madurai and Thanjavur.
New Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
No need to panic on Covid resurgence, says Director of Public Health
CHENNAI: After media reports on alleged resurgence of Covid-19 cases, Director of Public Health and Preventive Health Dr T S Selvavinayagam released a video message appealing public not to panic about Covid resurgence as it is not a public concern as of now on Tuesday. In his video message, Selvavinayagam said, the health department is monitoring all ILI and SARI cases in around 4,000 institutions on a daily basis. There is a strict surveillance mechanism in place in the state. In a population of around 7.8 crore in the state, around 10 cases will not be a cause of concern, he said. 'Like any other innumerable virus and bacteria, Covid virus also will be around. It is not a cause of concern unless it is virulent, large people are affected, deaths are reported or in-patients count is increasing. This is not the case now. Neither WHO nor the Union Health Ministry didn't release any advisory on Covid-19,' Selvavinayagam said. The health department is closely monitoring all viruses including Corona through the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) portal. The state has adequate infrastructure in hospitals and the health system is always ready to tackle any resurgence. So, there is no need to panic, he said. According to the weekly communicable disease report published on May 4 by the WHO, South Asian countries like India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Thailand have reported very low numbers of community transmission of Covid-19. Also, lineages of virion-deficient Omicron-type coronaviruses such as JN.1. It is reported that no newly mutated coronaviruses are circulating, the health department said in a press release. Also, the World Health Organization reports that the rate of Covid-19 infection has decreased in countries like Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The incidence and mortality rate of this disease is very low worldwide, the release added.
