Agartala, Sept 30: Tripura has launched a month-long statewide campaign to raise awareness about breast cancer, promote early detection and encourage people to seek timely medical care.
Health Secretary Kiran Gitte formally launched the ‘Breast Cancer Awareness Month’ campaign at the State Guest House in Agartala on Wednesday, bringing together senior health officials and district-level functionaries to strengthen the state’s efforts against the disease.
The programme was attended by NHM Tripura Mission Director Saju Vaheed, the Directors of Health Services and Family Welfare, Joint Mission Director, NHM, Member Secretary of the State Health & Family Welfare Society, NHM, Chief Medical Officers from all districts and other officials.
As part of the launch, a range of public awareness materials and technical resources were released. The materials are aimed at reaching the general population while also supporting healthcare professionals, students, academicians and other stakeholders involved in cancer prevention and care. Jhpiego is providing technical assistance for the campaign.
The state has planned a series of activities throughout October to take the awareness message beyond hospitals and health facilities and into communities.
The campaign will feature workshops involving AIIMS and Jhpiego, consultations with healthcare workers and ASHAs, seminars at medical and paramedical institutions, television and other media-based discussions, social media outreach and direct engagement with Panchayati Raj Institution members.
At the grassroots level, Community Health Officers and ANMs will conduct awareness activities during Village Health and Nutrition Days, helping take information on breast health and early detection to rural communities.
State Programme Officer for Non-Communicable Diseases, Dr Arjun Saha, gave a presentation outlining the significance of breast cancer awareness and the action plan for the month-long programme.
Addressing the gathering, Health Secretary Kiran Gitte urged officials, healthcare workers and members of the public to actively participate in the campaign. He stressed that greater awareness, early identification of symptoms and timely access to treatment are crucial to improving outcomes for breast cancer patients.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is observed globally every October, with the campaign focusing on breast health, early detection, awareness of risk factors and continuity of treatment and care.
Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women worldwide. According to GLOBOCAN 2022 estimates, around 23 lakh women were diagnosed with breast cancer globally in 2022, while approximately 6.7 lakh deaths were attributed to the disease.
The burden is also significant in India. An estimated 2,37,231 new breast cancer cases and 96,100 deaths were recorded in the country in 2024, with breast cancer accounting for around 30.4 per cent of all cancers among Indian women.
Tripura too faces a substantial burden. Data from the Tripura Population-Based Cancer Registry (PBCR), ICMR, for 2012–2016 identified breast cancer as a major cancer affecting women in the state. It accounted for 14.4 per cent of all female cancer cases, with the disease affecting approximately one in 123 women, according to official sources.
Against this backdrop, the state government has been expanding cancer screening and non-communicable disease prevention initiatives.
Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha launched the Mukhyamantri Niramay Arogya Abhiyan (MNAA) on December 31 last year. Under the initiative, dedicated screening drives are conducted twice a year—from January 1 to 14 and July 14 to 31—through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and Primary Health Care facilities across Tripura.
The screening programme focuses on cancer as well as other non-communicable diseases, with the broader objective of ensuring that eligible people are screened regularly and that suspected cases are identified early for further diagnosis and treatment.
Officials said the Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign is expected to complement these ongoing screening efforts by encouraging greater community participation and making early detection a priority.