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THE HINDU
Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 31, 2007

A comforting move by GRH

T. Saravanan

MADURAI: The Department of Surgical Oncology of Government Rajaji Hospital will adopt Periyapattinam in Ramanathapuram district, where concentration of cancer patients is more, according to B.K.C. Mohan Prasad, Head of the department.

Talking to The Hindu here on Monday, he said that the decision was taken following Health Minister’s visit to the village during the ‘Varumun Kappom’ screening camp, after reports on cancer incidence in the coastal village, especially among women, spread.

It came to light when the National Service Scheme students of Thassim Beevi Abdul Kader College for Women, Kilakarai, conducted a cancer awareness programme at the village with the help of the local Jamath.

Following this, another survey was conducted at the village which indicated an alarming number of cancer cases.

In addition, a cancer detection camp, funded by the substantial non-resident Indian population of Periyapattinam residing in Saudi Arabia, was organised using ‘Masila’s Cancer Diagnostics,’ a new invention by an Indian scientist, V. Masilamani, Professor of Laser Physics, King Saud University, Riyadh.

The equipment, developed by Dr. Masilamani, detected cancer at an early stage from the optical analysis of body fluids like blood and urine, employed laser/light induced fluorescence and ‘Raman Spectra’ for analysing and identifying cancer specific molecules in body fluids.

This propelled the State Government to act quickly. Thanks to the initiative taken by the Minister for Health, K.K.S.S.R. Rajendran and the Minister for Housing Suba. Thangavelan, an exclusive cancer wing would be started at the Ramanathapuram Government Hospital and patients referred to the GRH, the nodal centre for cancer, for further treatment, he said.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/31/stories/2007073162540300.htm