Over 70% of women aged 30 and above in Goa screened; a historic milestone reached in breast cancer screening.

Over 70% of women aged 30 and above in Goa screened; a historic milestone reached in breast cancer screening.

Under the ‘Swasth Mahila, Swasth Goa’ (Healthy Women, Healthy Goa) initiative—spearheaded by Health Minister Shri Vishwajit Rane—more than 2 lakh women have been screened for breast cancer. The state aims to screen all eligible women by 2027.

Panaji: With breast cancer emerging as a major public health concern for women in India, the state of Goa is making concerted efforts to take breast cancer screening beyond the confines of hospitals and directly into the community. In collaboration with the SBI Foundation and the Yuvraj Singh Foundation (YouWeCan), and under the visionary leadership of Goa’s Health Minister, Shri Vishwajit Rane, the state government is expanding the reach of breast screenings using the ‘iBreastExam’ device. Launched in October 2021, the initiative aims to make breast cancer screening more accessible by bringing services directly to the community and integrating them into the state’s existing healthcare infrastructure. Now entering its sixth year, the program has screened over 2.15 lakh women to date, identifying more than 3,700 lumps that required further testing and medical evaluation. In the next phase, the initiative targets the screening of an additional 50,000 women using iBreastExam technology, with the ultimate goal of reaching all eligible women across Goa by the end of 2027.

Goa’s Health Minister, Shri… Vishwajit Rane stated, “Our approach has always been to bring healthcare directly to people’s doorsteps, rather than waiting for them to come to the hospital. Through the ‘Swasth Mahila, Swasth Goa’ (Healthy Women, Healthy Goa) initiative, we have been leveraging new technology for the past five years to make breast cancer screenings more accessible to women across the state. As part of our sustained efforts, our goal is to reach all women in Goa who fall within the eligible age group.” This initiative is part of Goa’s broader strategy to strengthen preventive healthcare and ensure the timely provision of medical services through the public health system. By taking the ‘Swasth Mahila, Swasth Goa’ program directly into communities, the aim is to reach women who might not otherwise seek screenings on their own, or for whom public healthcare services are not easily accessible.

Dean of Goa Medical College, Prof. Dr. Jai Prakash Tiwari stated, “When a screening campaign reaches the grassroots level, its impact becomes far more extensive. The ‘Swastha Mahila, Swastha Goa’ (Healthy Women, Healthy Goa) initiative has strengthened the referral process within the public healthcare system, bringing breast cancer screening services directly to women’s doorsteps. A 20-year randomized trial in Mumbai, involving over 100,000 women aged 35 to 64, demonstrated that the incidence of breast cancer being diagnosed at stage III or IV dropped from 47% in the control group to 37% in the screened group. Thanks to the efforts of the Hon’ble Health Minister of the Government of Goa, Shri Vishwajit Rane, we have witnessed similar success in our initiative, enabling the detection of cancer at an early stage. We hope to extend this effort to reach even more women across Goa. From raising public awareness to early-stage diagnosis and treatment, the ‘Swastha Mahila, Swastha Goa’ initiative has improved cancer care and fostered awareness directly within the communities.”

Under the ‘Swastha Mahila, Swastha Goa’ initiative, breast cancer screenings are being conducted through government health centers, outreach programs, and community-based activities. The initiative also focuses on training healthcare workers and establishing an accessible referral process for women who require further diagnostic evaluation.

Dr. Anupama Borkar stated, “Through this initiative, we have screened 215,000 women, identifying 3,925 cases with suspicious symptoms and confirming 96 cancer diagnoses. However, behind each of these figures is a woman, and every cancer detected at an early stage represents an opportunity to save a life. Thanks to the vision of the Hon’ble Health Minister of the Government of Goa, Shri Vishwajit Rane, and in collaboration with the Goa Medical College, we have been able to provide timely treatment to patients. Evidence from India (PubMed Central – PMC) indicates that screening enables the detection of breast cancer at an early stage, which can improve survival rates. By putting this research into practice, Goa has managed to reach approximately 80 percent of women over the age of 30. This is not merely a matter of the scale of screening; it is about early-stage diagnosis that saves lives at a population level.”

This initiative is supported by the SBI Foundation and the Yuvraj Singh Foundation (YouWeCan), which have helped expand the reach of breast cancer screening across the state and enhance the accessibility of preventive healthcare.

As this state-wide initiative enters its sixth year, it underscores the Government of Goa’s commitment to providing innovative solutions for its citizens, while bringing the state closer to its goal of ensuring that every eligible woman has access to early-stage diagnosis and treatment.