KOCHI: Health minister K K Shailaja would inaugurate various initiatives of Cochin Cancer Research Centre (CCRC) at Government Medical College in Kalamassery on Saturday, said district collector K Mohammed Y Safirulla at a news meet held at district collectorate on Thursday.Digital mammogram unit, integrated homecare programme and comprehensive cancer control programme for Ernakulam would be inaugurated by the minister.The district cancer control programme aims to diagnose cancer at an early stage and improve outcome of treatment. Doctors in primary health centres will be given training and awareness on detecting symptoms of early stages of cancer."About 60 doctors at various primary health centres in the district have been given training to conduct different diagnostic procedures. By December, the doctors at the remaining health centres will also be given similar training," said CCRC director Dr Moni Abraham Kuriakose. The doctors will also be given awareness on where the patients should be referred to for further treatment.As part of the programme, a population-based cancer registry will be formed by monitoring the number of patients diagnosed, pattern of care given to them and outcome of treatment. This is specifically designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the comprehensive cancer control programme.According to CCRC, the district was estimated to have about 5,400 new cancer patients every year.The other initiative, integrated homecare programme or 'Sahai', will extend the clinical care for patients to their homes. The volunteer-driven programme that is to be conducted with various NGOs will provide necessary services to needy patients at their home. Patients will be given assistance with feeding tube, urinary catheter, colostomy and tracheostomy.Through various techniques on pain management and medication on nausea and vomiting, the initiative has been aimed at improving the quality of overall cancer treatment.CCRC will also have the service of digital mammogram and microtome, which help in the detection of breast cancer , from Saturday. A seminar hall named after Dr M Krishnan Nair, the first director of regional cancer centre in Thiruvananthapuram, will also be inaugurated during the function.Various experts in the field will participate in the second annual conference of CCRC that will be held at the medical college auditorium at 8.30am on the topic 'Integration of primary and tertiary cancer'.A workshop for doctors in primary health centres and taluk hospitals will be held on Friday, prior to the annual conference.

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