Chennai is preparing to launch a specialized public women’s cancer screening center at Thousand Lights by February. The center, costing Rs 1.23 crore, will provide free screening services for breast, cervical, and ovarian cancers, which are prevalent among women in Tamil Nadu. Operated by the Greater Chennai Corporation’s Health Department, the three-storeyed facility will operate from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Sundays.
The center will be equipped with a mammogram unit for breast cancer screening, a laboratory for Pap smear tests to detect cervical cancer, and an ultrasound facility for screening abdominal and ovarian cancers. Additionally, a dedicated consultation room will be included in the facility. While government hospitals offer various diagnostic services for free, advanced cancer screening tests like mammograms and specialized scans often require private care.
This new center aims to address this disparity and ensure early detection, particularly for women from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. Thousand Lights MLA Dr. Ezhilan Naganathan announced the initiative, stating that the center was conceptualized in response to the increasing cancer burden in Tamil Nadu. He emphasized the importance of early detection in improving survival rates and mentioned plans to establish a comprehensive data registry for all screened women to aid research and long-term cancer prevention strategies.
Dr. J. Amalorpavanathan, a member of the State Planning Commission, highlighted the significance of the center’s establishment, noting that Tamil Nadu contributes 6.4% of India’s total cancer cases despite having only 5.6% of the country’s population. He pointed out the prevalence of cervical cancer in rural areas and the rising cases of breast cancer in urban regions, attributing this trend to lifestyle changes, delayed marriages, and late childbirth.
