70 participants with PI and Co-PI Kohima District.
Kohima, October 2 (MExN): A two-day hands-on training for AI-based oral cancer screening for Kohima District Health Centres was held on September 29 and 30 at Kohima District.
It was organised by Dr K&T Keditsu Foundation, a registered non-profit organisation, in collaboration with the NOHP Cell, Directorate of Health and Family Welfare, Nagaland, Dental Department, Naga Hospital Authority Kohima, and CMO Kohima District, supported by TANUH Foundation, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.
Resource persons included a six-member team of experts from TANUH, Bengaluru, namely Dr Lakshmi Krishnan (Senior Program Manager), Dr Vaijesh Menkudale (Senior Public Health Specialist), Leena Chaven (Program Manager), Dr Bhargavi Paul Majumder (Junior Public Health Specialist), Dr Aabha Singh (Junior Public Health Specialist), Dr Savitesh Kushwaha (Junior Statistician) and Dr Keduovinuo Keditsu Chielie (Principal Investigator, Oral Screening Programme, Kohima District).
An update received here stated that the objective of the training was to enhance the knowledge and skills of frontline healthcare workers, and to strengthen the existing oral cancer screening processes and outcomes under the National Programme on Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Disease (NP-NCD).
Day 1, conducted at Putuonuo Hospital Kohima on September 29, recorded 70 participants — 50 from government centres (staff nurses, GNMs, ANMs and CHOs of Kohima District Health Centres) and 20 programme staff of Dr K&T Keditsu Foundation.
The programme commenced with an introduction to Dr K&T Keditsu Foundation by Dr Keduovinuo, an address by Dr N Moangangba Jamir (SNO NOHP), and felicitation of resource persons by Dr Toshevi Keditsu Sema (Managing Director, Dr K&T).
The training included the theoretical fundamentals of AI-based oral screening, identification of normal and abnormal oral lesions, and orientation to the Aarogya Aarohan App, followed by hands-on practical training using the mobile application, enabling all participants to gain practical skills in conducting oral screening to enhance their community-based outreach programmes.
Noting that oral cancer is the third most common cancer in India, the training strongly emphasised the importance of early identification and appropriate referral of suspected oral abnormalities.
Day 1 concluded with an address by Dr Meribeni Odyuo (Co-PI, Kohima District) and a vote of thanks by Dr Neiphrezo Sorünuo (Co-PI and Dental Surgeon, NHAK), both emphasising the paradigm shift in the delivery of quality healthcare in resource-constrained regions such as Nagaland, with the support of technology and robust public-private partnerships.
On September 30, the team of experts visited 12 health centres from four blocks of Kohima District, Kohima Sadar, Sechu-Zubza, Jakhama-Kezocha and Chiephobozou-Botsa, hand-holding mobile-based oral screening by the healthcare participants in their respective health centres.
As many as 30 AI-app enabled mobile phones were deployed in Kohima district, 20 in government centres and 10 for Dr K&T social workers. The two-day programme was awarded three credit hours by the Nagaland Nursing Council.
