How to make a strong Cervical Cancer free society?

  Access to   a healthcare facility is vital for good health, but people in rural areas face several healthcare access barriers. Hence, they are unable to achieve the best health services. Currently, the COVID-19 stigma has worsened the situation in rural India. Due to the lack of proper awareness, people in the rural areas have a misconception that healthcare professionals are sources of infection and they will force people to be removed from their families into quarantine centers. So, they limit their ability to obtain the care they need from healthcare professionals. This not only increases COVID-19 cases but also lags in recovery and progress. Despite all these COVID-19 challenges, the commitment and innovative spirit of GeBBS Foundation volunteers remain steadfast. Together they have taken various approaches to prevent cervical cancer as well as spread awareness on the pandemic trajectory in the rural areas. The volunteers even during these difficult times visited diffe...

  Healthcare and medical aid is at times weak in rural India.   In many areas there are no formal hospitals and clinics in rural places hence, they mostly have to depend on untrained healthcare workers. Over two-thirds of these rural health providers have no medical training. But these providers are the only medical support for most of the rural population. Now the COVID-19 stigma has worsened the situation in rural India. Due to the lack of proper awareness, people in the rural areas have a misconception that healthcare professionals are sources of infection and they will force people to be removed from their families into quarantine centers. These quarantine centers are viewed with suspicion and fear. This not only increases COVID-19 cases but also lags in recovery and progress. The challenge of COVID-19 has shown us the importance of good health. So, despite all the COVID-19 challenges, the commitment and innovative spirit of GeBBS Foundation volunteers remains steadfast...

  Precancers grow very slowly, hence getting screened regularly will prevent precancers from becoming cervical cancer. Screening for cervical cancer is recommended at the age of 25 and it should be done every 5 years. Cervical cancer is very rare before the age of 25, hence women between the age group 25-65 years should do their PAP test at regular intervals. The goal of cervical cancer screening is to find precancers early so that they can be treated before they develop into cancer. Screening can also find cervical cancer at an early stage when it is easier to treat. There are 2 types of the cervical cancer screening test, they are: The HPV test looks for infection by high‐risk types of HPV that are more likely to cause precancers and cancers in the cervix. The Pap test looks at the cells taken from the cervix to find changes that might be cancer or precancers. For women living in low-income settings with limited financial, cultural, or and lack of quality medical care it ...

  In the rural areas of India, there are almost about 120 million smallholder farmers who contribute over 40% of the country’s grain production. The livelihood of these smallholder farmers completely depends on their harvesting. Every year farmers face different types of risk such as low rainfall, price volatility and rising debts. But the risks from the COVID-19 pandemic have created new challenges. The nationwide lockdown came at an unfortunate time for farmers, as it was the harvest season for the rabi (winter) crop. This season the farmers in the rural areas could not harvest their bumper crops - cereal and oilseed. In some places, the crops have been abandoned, while in others the harvest is coming more than a month late,   along with limited and more expensive labor. In these challenging times, when regular transport and markets have not been functioning, GeBBS Foundation came forward to directly help the farmers in the rural areas of Aurangabad and Jalna. They along ...

  ‘We can’t afford to quarantine. If anyone else in my family is found positive, they would all be ordered to stay inside, which would mean even more weeks of not working, which would push my family closer to running out of food’ – this is the common statement for all the people in the rural areas. The coronavirus is ripping every corner of this country. The disease is rampant in rural India, where people have to rely on the most basic health facilities. So, to provide basic healthcare support, to the people in the rural areas especially Aurangabad and Jalna, our volunteers from GeBBSFoundation along with the doctors from Hedgewar Hospital conduct regular health check-up camps. Every day our mobile van visits different villages with our Hedgewar doctors and nurses to conduct these camps. Recent camps that were conducted in the last couple of weeks were Ambegaon, Nandeda village, Waghola and Lohagadnandra village, Lingdari and Anjandoh village. Our volunteers in association with S...

  What do you think has been added as a compulsory accessory for mankind? Yes, the most talked-about newly added accessory for all of us is the face mask. The government has made it mandatory for all of us to wear a face mask when stepping outside. However, it is for our own benefit. Wearing a face mask will help prevent the spread of infection and prevent every individual from contracting any airborne infectious germs. When someone coughs, talks, sneezes they could release germs into the air that may infect others nearby. Face masks are part of an infection control strategy to eliminate cross-contamination. There are 3 reasons why wearing a face is important: 1.        Face masks can prevent the wearer from transmitting the COVID-19 virus to others and may provide some protection to the wearer. Statistics say that masks give us 90% of protection from the virus, if worn properly. 2.        Many people with COVID-19...

  The first outbreak of COVID-19 occurred in Wuhan in early Dec 2019. It took 67 days to infect 1 lakh people from COVID-19 and additional 12 days to infiltr ate a further 1 lakh. India reported its first COVID-19 case on 30 th January. The affected had a travel history from Wuhan. Within a month later two more COVID-19 cases were reported where one patient had travelled from Italy and the other from Dubai. Hence the spread continued. Today the total corona virus cases in India are approximately above 9 lakh. This number keeps changing everyday. The virus has travelled all parts of India, keeping its mark in both urban and rural areas. With the lockdown and reverse migration the number of positive cases has started increasing in the rural areas too. Due to the lack of proper health services and timely testing and treatment the virus aggravated in the rural areas. In general, rural healthcare has always suffered from inadequate infrastructure, insufficient health workforce and unde...

India is now among the top 10 nations that have been worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The disease is now spreading in the rural areas. Currently, this virus does not have symptoms; it can only be detected if tested. Hence the situation is all the more worst especially in the rural areas since they do not have proper healthcare facilities. The population out there completely relies on people’s power and healthcare workers who are continuously providing healthcare support. We at GeBBS Foundation know that testing is an essential part of India’s COVID-19 control strategy otherwise spread of the infection will be missed. Hence to trace and quarantine contact our volunteers and ASHA workers visit different villages to spread awareness about the COVID-19 virus. They visit door to door to find people with suspected infections. If a person has symptoms, he/she is tested for the virus along with the family members. If tested positive, they are taken to isolation units or hospitals . All...

  Cervical cancer is the most common cancer among women in the rural areas and it is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the rural areas. Although it is preventable and curable but due to the lack of proper treatment and screening women in the rural areas suffering from cervical cancer remain unnoticed. Aiming at this loophole our GeBBS Foundation volunteers and partners ( MGM and Hedgeware hospital ) regularly conduct health check up camps in the rural areas of Aurangabad and Jalnain our mobile van ‘clinic-on-wheels’. Our doctors and volunteers regularly visit different villages in the mobile van to conduct health check-ups and screening for breast cancer and cervical cancer. Below, one of our volunteer’s has described his experience with our GeBBS Foundation.   Siddharth Madhukar Patekar- volunteer (Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad) “I am grateful to GeBBS Foundation for giving me an opportunity to work for a noble cause in ...

  Breast Cancer is most common in women and has the second highest occurrence in India. The average incidence rate is around 6 lakhs in the rural areas. Women above the age of 50 are most susceptible to cancer. It starts as cancerous cells present at the lining of a milk gland (lobule) in one of the breasts. This phenomenon is commonly known as lobular breast cancer.   Women should regularly conduct self-examination of the breast and on noticing any lump or change must consult the doctor if necessary. This will help facilitate early stage breast cancer treatment. If the cancer is diagnosed at the first stage, outcomes are better. Most breast lumps are not cancerous. But few basic symptoms of breast cancer are: A painless lump in the breast A spontaneous discharge of blood from the nipple Retraction or indentation of nipple Redness or pitting of the skin over the breast Mass below the arms Changes in the size or shape of a breast Dimpling or thickening of the skin on a pa...

  Tireless helping hands of our volunteers The Covid-19 pandemic has affected almost all of India. Earlier people were under the impression that the rural areas can be protected from the virus with proper covid-19 testing and by maintaining the government guidelines. But, after the return of the migrant workers to their hometown, the problem of spreading the virus arose. More than half of all Covid-19 cases recorded in the previous month came from 584 districts that are classified as mostly rural or entirely rural. In this entire chaos, GeBBS Foundation came forward to help the people in the rural areas to battle the disease. When the villagers struggled to manage a meal, our GeBBS volunteers came forward to provide both food and medical support to all the people in the rural areas of Aurangabad. To further create an impact on the fragile health systems in Aurangabad and Jalna our volunteers along with the Kishori Vikas PrakalpSamanvayakGrahmin Savitribai Phule Mahila Ekatma Sa...

  The pandemic has left the deprived communities in acute distress. People in the rural areas are pushed deeper into poverty. Hygiene and medication is beyond imagination, even one meal is a struggle for most. To tackle this challenge our volunteers have come together to support the people in the rural areas (mainly Aurangabad) with the basic necessities. From distributing hygiene kits to food kits – our volunteers are doing everything to keep the people in the rural areas safe and secure. Hear our volunteer speak, about his experience with GeBBS Foundation . Pawan Madanrao Popalghat - Volunteer, GeBBS Foundation Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad. “I always wanted to do something that adds value to the society. Helping people and giving a smile is something that makes me happy. I am grateful to GeBBS Foundation for giving me this opportunity to live my passion. I am very fortunate to be associated with GeBBS Foundation and render my service to the people...

  . In India in-spite of all the preparedness and promptness, the deadly infection has taken several lives and has infected hundreds. There is a lot of apprehension amongst people about the possibility of who could be a carrier of the virus & also the fact of how many actually get detected of Covid & by when. The facility of screening and detecting Covid virus is much easier in the urban areas than in the rural areas. The vulnerability is much bigger for the people in the rural areas. It is because people in the rural areas do not always have the ability to safeguard themselves from this fatal virus So, to help the people in the rural areas especially villagers in Aurangabad and Jalna to battle Covid, our volunteers and doctors are working tirelessly. Other than distributing hygiene kits and food relief kits our volunteers are continuously organizing Covid awareness camps. They are visiting door to door to spread Covid awareness. Along with these awareness camps our vol...

Covid 19 is rapidly spreading across the globe. In India its widespread in the urban areas & today we can also see it spreading in our rural areas. It is important to safeguard people  in the rural areas through constant awareness programs and regular health check-up camps. So, our GeBBS Foundation volunteers in association with the Savitribai Phule MahilaEkatmSamaj Mandal Hedgewar Hospital are constantly visiting door to door to spread covid awareness. In these awareness camps our volunteers speak about: ·          The need to stay indoors ·          The importance and need for maintaining hygiene ·          Toavoid touching the face ·          The reason to maintain social distancing ·          The requirement to seek medical support if unwell ·    ...

Covid-19 has brought uncertainty in our lives, especially for children and the senior citizens. It is all the more unsettling for the people in the rural areas. They are always at a greater risk of being the victim of the virus since they are unable to take proper safety and precautionary measures. To fight the disease, it is very important to take preventive actions like wearing masks, washing hands with soap and water and maintaining social distancing. We, at GeBBS Foundation are continuously taking action to prevent the infection. Hence we have come up with an initiative called “Safety First” where, our volunteers are reaching out to different villages in Aurangabad and Jalna to distribute reusable face masks. This mask distribution is not only restricted to villagers, but also they are handed over to our caregivers and volunteers. At GeBBS Foundation, the safety and security of our volunteers and partners is important. In the last couple of weeks, we have successfully d...

Misinformation is like a virus. Relying on hearsay or questionable sources can put anyone at increased risk for contracting the virus and spreading it to others. Currently, the fear and anxiety about COVID-19 is causing people to avoid or reject others even though they are not at risk for spreading the virus. We are all aware of the simple steps that need to be followed to keep ourselves and others healthy. What we are unaware of is the untold facts that should be considered while facing the virus. They are: Many people who are infected with this virus do not have a cough. The disease proceeds without any symptoms at all, a person may not even suspect any illness. One of the most unusual symptoms of Covid-19 is the loss of sense of taste and smell. Many people do not interpret this as a symptom. The coronavirus remains viable in the air for three hours which can infect healthy people. Currently both people in the urban and rural areas are the victim of this virus. Th...

50% of people in rural India have reduced the number of meals ever since the lockdown was imposed.The  Lockdownhasinversely affected the income of the daily wage earner. The sudden lockdown and market closures left most residents without food, water and healthcare support. Although immediate measures have been taken by the government to support the people in the rural areas, our GeBBS Foundation volunteers, the MGM doctors, nurses and ASHA workers did not stop themselves from venturing out to support the people in the rural areas of Auranagabad and Jalna. As early as the third week of March, our volunteers started distributing food packets in the villages of Aurangabad and Jalna. Our second round of food distribution is going strong, which is now paired with the corona virus detection camps. These camps are conducted in different villages within the Auranagabad and Jalna districts. Our MGM doctors are conducting free health checkup camps in our well equipped mobile van. I...

“Doing nothing for others is the undoing of ourselves” – Horace Mann In this environment of pandemic when all of us are looking out to be safe, our volunteers have come together in the most extraordinary ways to go the extra mile and lend a hand. Hear our volunteer speak about his experience with GeBBS Foundation.   Pandurang Bajirao Nakhate - Volunteer of GeBBS Foundation   "My journey with GeBBS Foundation is a memorable one. I feel we are much more than just volunteers ; we are one big family looking out for each other to support the society. So, it is my duty to be with them during this pandemic period when they need us the most. After volunteering for healthcare camps especially cervical and breast cancer camps I have realized the privilege of being born into a financially stable family that can afford both education and medical expenses. Most of the people in the rural areas are unable to fight cervical and breast cancer or any other disea...

Due to this pandemic situation, we all are going through a difficult time. The lockdown has decimated the incomes and threatened the food security of India's rural population. We continue to provide humanitarian and healthcare assistance to the people in the rural areas. We regularly put in our best effort to provide the people in the rural areas with the basic supplies of food and hygiene kits. Recently, we have also collaborated with the Superintendent of Police, Aurangabad Rural to distribute 40 N95 masks and 200 triple ply masks to Karmad police station under the “Project Safety First”. This was one of the ways by which we can take precautions and fight the disease.   The distribution activity was initiated in the presence of Mr. Santosh Khamalas, Mr. Bagul and Mr. Santosh Patil (PI and in charge of Karmad policestation, Aurangabad. Simultaneously, we are also conducting our regular cervical & breast cancer check-up camps in various villages in our well-equi...

In the hope of increasing awareness and highlighting the importance of early detection, one of our cervical cancer survivor shares her story with our readers. ‘I Ranjana KakasahebKhandweam a cervical cancer survivor. I could successfully beat all odds against advanced Cervical Cancer& today I am leading a normal life. I remember that initially, I used to experience intermittent pain in my uterus. I had approached quite a few hospitals but even after consuming medicines I did not get any relief. One day, I was at home doing my chores and I had a visit from an ASHA activist. She informed me about the health camp at our village and gave me detailed information on the process. She helped me fill out a form and informed me of the date of the health camp. I attended the camp on the said date. There were female MGM doctors who examined me and advised me to visit MGM Hospital for further tests. Without further delay, I got myself admitted at MGM hospital with the help of...