Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday inaugurated the Free Breast Cancer Screening Seva programme at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar, marking a significant step in the government’s push towards preventive healthcare for women in Jammu and Kashmir. The initiative, driven by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in partnership with the non-profit organisation India Turns Pink (ITP), is a Corporate Social Responsibility undertaking designed to bring life-saving screening services directly to women at the grassroots level.
The programme targets ten villages in Srinagar district and is expected to benefit approximately 10,000 women through a combination of free breast cancer screening, awareness generation, and professional counselling services. By taking the screening to the doorstep of rural women, the initiative aims to bridge the longstanding gap between public health infrastructure and communities that often remain beyond the reach of conventional medical services.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Abdullah underscored the critical importance of early detection in reducing the mortality burden of breast cancer. He praised the AAI and India Turns Pink for choosing a public health cause that directly addresses the vulnerability of women, noting that timely intervention and awareness can save countless lives. He emphasised that initiatives of this nature, which combine corporate resources with ground-level outreach, represent a model of health delivery that the government welcomes and intends to encourage further.
Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in India, and J&K is no exception to this national health challenge. Early-stage detection dramatically improves treatment outcomes, yet a significant proportion of cases continue to be diagnosed at advanced stages due to limited access to screening facilities and prevailing social hesitancy around health check-ups. The Free Breast Cancer Screening Seva programme seeks to directly address both barriers by removing financial and logistical hurdles while simultaneously educating women about the importance of regular check-ups.
Minister for Health and Medical Education Sakina Itoo, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Founder President of India Turns Pink PA Anandakumar, along with representatives from India Turns Pink and senior government officers were present at the inauguration ceremony.
The launch comes as the J&K government continues to expand its healthcare outreach programmes, particularly for women and underserved communities. Officials indicated that the success of this pilot in Srinagar district could pave the way for scaling the programme to other districts across the Union Territory.
