May 14, 2012 Clippings

Cancer treatment: India vs abroad

Doctors say India is on par with international cancer hospitals. Why then, do people tend to go abroad for treatments? Debarati S Sen finds out...

Cancer treatment in India is the best

One of the topmost cancer surgeons in the world today, Dr R Bidwe, the Director of the Tata Memorial Research Centre asserts, "We offer the same treatment as any other part of the world. Everything that can be done in the best cancer centers across the globe can be done here."

Dr Ashish Bakshi, senior consultant medical oncologist with the L H Hiranandani Hospital reiterates that cancer treatment in our country is equivalent and in some cases even better than anywhere else abroad.

Devika Bhojwani, Vice President of the Women's Cancer Initiative says, "It is a myth that we get better cancer treatment abroad. When it comes to treating cancer, we are one of the best in the world today. We have the finest surgeons here and right from the hospitals, to the treatment and surgery techniques, equipments used, and post-treatment care as well as cost, we are among the finest."

Director Anurag Basu, who had been diagnosed with acute leukemia in 2004 was given a two-month ultimatum. He battled cancer here in our country and says that it is not that India is less any way when it comes to cancer treatment. The ace director states, "As a cancer survivor, I have attended many conferences and seminars abroad and have always heard foreign doctors speak very highly of the kind of work being done in India when it comes to cancer. I have always heard them talk very highly of Indian doctors."

Treatment abroad is expensive

Dr Bidwe says, "The cost of treating cancer abroad can be around ten times more and in dollars, so that effectively makes it 500 times more. For example, even for a simple consultation abroad the deposit is 10,000 USD (approx Rs 511100)."

Why abroad, then?

Dr Bidwe says, "The reason that people still want to go abroad for treatment is that they don't want people to know they are suffering from cancer. Dr Bakshi says, "Patients tend to travel abroad but that only happens in the case of celebrities and they do it the sake of privacy."

Considering the fact that it is extremely expensive to treat cancer abroad maybe the celebrities are the only ones who can really afford it.

Source: www.timesofindia.com        

14.05.2012

How to do a home pregnancy test

Even today there are many young and educated women who are unaware about the advantages and convenience of a pregnancy test. If you miss your period, before visiting your doctor, it is convenient to take a pregnancy test at home.

The home pregnancy test detects a hormone called Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), which is only found in the urine of a pregnant woman. This can be detected only after 20 days of her last menstrual period.

How is a home pregnancy test performed?

Even though it is not a compulsion, it is always advised that the pregnancy test must be taken in the morning.

Usually stored in a refrigerator, the pregnancy test kit should be at room temperature before use. Collect your clean urine in a dry glass or container.

Now, with the help of a pregcolor card get started with the test. Place the pregcolor card on a clean, flat surface and take a few drops of urine.

Using a dropper, which is available in the kit, place the urine drops in a circular motion. Usually that is marked as 'S'. Make sure you do not spill urine on the reading strip.

Now after waiting for 3 to 5 minutes, read the test results.

If you find that your test is negative, wait for 72 hours and perform the test again. The first negative result might be due to taking the test too early or if your hormone levels didn't rise enough to be detected. Follow the same instructions again and repeat the test.

Source: www.timesofindia.com        

14.05.2012

It always seems impossible until it’s done

Nelson Mandela