Capacity Building of ASHA - Breast and Cervical Cancer Awareness Camp at Matiali Block, Jalpaiguri.

Cancer has become one of the ten leading causes of death in India. It is estimated that there are nearly 2 - 2.5 million cancer cases at any given point of time. Cancers namely those of oral and lungs in males, and cervix and breast in females account for over 50% of all cancer deaths in India.

One of the key components of the National Rural Health Mission is to provide every village in the country with a trained female community health activist ASHA or Accredited Social Health Activist. Selected from the village itself and accountable to it, the ASHA will be trained to work as an interface between the community and the public health system.

They walk 4 to 5 kms every day to work with mothers, pregnant women, infants and children in villages—ensuring they are vaccinated, ensuring they are not anaemic, transferring pregnant mothers to hospitals on time, making sure there is no delay in their registration, and getting their blood tests done. They have direct and regular interaction with the village women. ASHA workers can play the most effective role in breast and cervical cancer awareness among village women.

AIM Foundation is organising Breast and Cervical Cancer Awareness Camp in in different blocks of West Bengal in association with Health and Family Welfare Department, Government of West Bengal.

This programme was held on 6th August, 2022 at Abasar Resort, Dakshin Dhupjhora, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal (adjacent to Garumara Forest).