E-Paper
24 women inmates diagnosed with cancer in mental health facility
Twenty-two out of 281 female inpatients screened at the hospital have been diagnosed with oral cancer whereas two have been diagnosed with cervical cancer.
PUNE: As part of a first-of-its-kind endeavour to screen indoor patients for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) undertaken by the Regional Mental Hospital (RMH) at Yerawada, 22 out of 281 female inpatients screened at the hospital have been diagnosed with oral cancer whereas two have been diagnosed with cervical cancer. All 24 female inpatients have now been referred to Aundh District Hospital (ADH) for further medical management and treatment, officials said.
The decision to screen all inmates for NCDs taken by the hospital administration is an important step towards holistic healthcare, addressing not just mental health but also physical ailments among patients, officials said. The RMH currently has 1,057 inmates including 740 male and 317 female inmates. To begin with, screening of the female inmates started last month while male inmates are yet to be screened, said Dr Srinivas Kolod, medical superintendent, RMH. The RMH officials have taken the help of doctors from Dr D Y Patil Medical College; and private doctors Dr Swapnil Dabharde and Dr Sakshi Jesani who are providing the services free-of-cost.
Traditionally, mental health institutions in Maharashtra focus solely on psychiatric care. However, experts have long pointed out the need for integrated health services as individuals with mental illness are also at risk for other chronic diseases.
Dr Kolod said that mental and physical health go hand-in-hand. “Through regular screenings, we can detect and treat diseases early, improving the quality of life for our patients. We have decided to conduct the screening tests once a week at the RMH. Due to the large number of patients and private doctors providing the services free-of-cost, screening cannot be conducted daily. The hospital will now start screening of male inpatients from next week,” he said.
Dr Kolod further informed that regular checkups for all indoor patients are conducted. “This initiative will help identify and treat NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancers early in these patients who are often at higher risk due to lack of awareness and limited access to general healthcare services. Patients with diabetes and hypertension are provided treatment at the RMH,” he said.
