Oral cancer stalks the poor in rural Kuppam
High rates reported among agricultural labourers addicted to chewing tobacco and gutkha
30/08/2019
High rates reported among agricultural labourers addicted to chewing tobacco and gutkha
30/08/2019
Help is at hand: Health officials organising a cancer screening and awareness camp at Kuppam in Chittoor district of A.P.
The largely rural district of Kuppam on the junction of three major southern States — Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu — has recorded an alarming increase in cases of oral cancer over the last decade. The intensity of the disease has gone up in recent months. The frequency of oral cancers is higher among women in the Kuppam belt.
The dependence of a large proportion of the population on manual labour for livelihood is seen as a major factor contributing to the rising rates of oral cancer. The region of Kuppam, Santhipuram, Gudupalle and Ramakuppam mandals is home to a large number of agriculture labourers. In addition, a huge number of youth from the district depend on odd jobs in Bengaluru and Chennai — both major cities within a day’s commute.
Given the hard manual labour, this vast group is forced to undertake, addiction to tobacco products, particularly the chewing variety is common.
Families afflicted
Three members of a six-member family — a couple and their son — at Mallanur were all detected with oral cancer in a span of just three years. The head of the family, Senthil, said he had acquired the habit of chewing tobacco from his father.
“Since 2012, I got addicted to gutkha, consuming close to 10 packets a day. I was diagnosed with oral cancer in a Bengaluru hospital in 2017. Later, I recovered. Unfortunately, I continued the habit. Now, I am hit by the malignant disease on the other cheek,” he said.
Sugunamma, a worker at the flower gardens in Kuppam, said surgery for cancer caused by chewing tobacco had left her disfigured. “I quit the habit. But the cancer has done its damage, and I am yet to recover fully. My daughter inherited this vile habit from me. But after counselling, she has given it up for good,” she said.
The incidence of oral cancer is also found to be high among the youth from Kuppam. Working away from home in hard conditions, many take to chewing tobacco and smoking.
Medical camps
Alarmed by the high rates of cancers, the district medical authorities have been holding medical and awareness camps in recent months.
District Medical and Health Officer B. Ramagiddaiah told The Hindu that the number of victims in the rural pockets was very disquieting. In addition to oral cancer, cases of lung, throat and intestinal cancers were also detected.
“In recent months, we had arranged surgeries for about a dozen cases from Kuppam area,” the DMHO said.
The largely rural district of Kuppam on the junction of three major southern States — Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu — has recorded an alarming increase in cases of oral cancer over the last decade. The intensity of the disease has gone up in recent months. The frequency of oral cancers is higher among women in the Kuppam belt.
The dependence of a large proportion of the population on manual labour for livelihood is seen as a major factor contributing to the rising rates of oral cancer. The region of Kuppam, Santhipuram, Gudupalle and Ramakuppam mandals is home to a large number of agriculture labourers. In addition, a huge number of youth from the district depend on odd jobs in Bengaluru and Chennai — both major cities within a day’s commute.
Given the hard manual labour, this vast group is forced to undertake, addiction to tobacco products, particularly the chewing variety is common.
Families afflicted
Three members of a six-member family — a couple and their son — at Mallanur were all detected with oral cancer in a span of just three years. The head of the family, Senthil, said he had acquired the habit of chewing tobacco from his father.
“Since 2012, I got addicted to gutkha, consuming close to 10 packets a day. I was diagnosed with oral cancer in a Bengaluru hospital in 2017. Later, I recovered. Unfortunately, I continued the habit. Now, I am hit by the malignant disease on the other cheek,” he said.
Sugunamma, a worker at the flower gardens in Kuppam, said surgery for cancer caused by chewing tobacco had left her disfigured. “I quit the habit. But the cancer has done its damage, and I am yet to recover fully. My daughter inherited this vile habit from me. But after counselling, she has given it up for good,” she said.
The incidence of oral cancer is also found to be high among the youth from Kuppam. Working away from home in hard conditions, many take to chewing tobacco and smoking.
Medical camps
Alarmed by the high rates of cancers, the district medical authorities have been holding medical and awareness camps in recent months.
District Medical and Health Officer B. Ramagiddaiah told The Hindu that the number of victims in the rural pockets was very disquieting. In addition to oral cancer, cases of lung, throat and intestinal cancers were also detected.
“In recent months, we had arranged surgeries for about a dozen cases from Kuppam area,” the DMHO said.
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