Vikasa Tarangini screens 26L women for cervical cancer

With the support of our volunteers and philanthropists, we were able to assist more than 5 lakh women who were diagnosed with cancer. I don’t think any other NGO had served these many poor women in the country till now

- Chinna Jeeyar Swami

Hyderabad: Vikasa Tarangini, a non-profit service organisation founded by Sri Tridandi Chinna Srimannarayana Ramanuja Jeeyar Swami, has so far screened more than 26 lakh women across India to detect cervical cancer at free of cost. “Our volunteers have performed colposcopy tests at various medical camps all over the country with our inhouse developed devices,” he said. A colposcopy is a vital test to find any abnormal tissue or changes in the cells of a woman’s cervix (lower part of uterus) and the wall of vagina due to certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV). This diagnostic procedure is done through a special lighted microscope called a colposcope, which magnifies the tissue that lines the cervix and vagina.

In case of any abnormalities, the tissue samples are collected by biopsy test and sent to a lab for cancerous or precancerous cells. Chinna Jeeyar Swami said that their volunteers have developed an inhouse colposcope, which performs better than the usual equipment.

"Our colposcope can be connected to a computer to find the malignant tissues instantly, and it was developed at a cost of Rs 6,000 each, while a regular device is priced above Rs 2.5 lakh in India," he claimed.

“We have been conducting the screening activities in many places across States like Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and even Nepal. Thousands of our volunteers have been rendering their services to the poor women. All our social service activities are done with the generous contributions from great philanthropists. However, we don’t publicise them,” the seer informed.

Swami further said, "We want to do something unique and not just a routine service to the mankind. So, we chose to monitor the women health and provide healthcare guidance. I am thankful to our volunteers and philanthropists for arranging medical camps for the benefit of less-privileged strata of the society. With their support, we were able to assist more than 5 lakh women who were diagnosed with cancer. I don't think any other NGO had served these many poor women in the country till now.”

He added, “It is high time the women of our society to take care of their health by attending health camps. They must go for regular medical tests. Most women are ignorant of cervical cancer and I insist that they should visit a doctor for a smear test at the earliest."

Mahila Arogya Vikas (MAV), the women healthcare wing of Vikasa Tarangini, has conducted a medical camp recently at G Narayanamma Institute of Technology and Science Women’s College Shaikpet campus on the occasion of World Cancer Day. Not only the students of this college but the poor and middle-class women from the neighbourhood were screened for cervical cancer at the camp.