PANAJI
In a major step for public health, the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) in Goa has completed 92,567 lung cancer screenings, moving closer to the one-lakh mark under its Early Lung Cancer Detection Programme.
Launched in June 2024, the initiative is being run in partnership with AstraZeneca India and Qure.ai, using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve early diagnosis and treatment. The programme uses Qure.ai’s AI technology to analyse chest X-rays for signs of lung cancer across 17 DHS centres in the State.
So far, over 3,100 nodules have been identified, including 143 marked as high-risk. One confirmed case of lung cancer was detected through the programme’s referral system involving CT scans and biopsies.
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, in a post on microblogging site X, reaffirmed the government’s aim to eliminate cancer as a cause of death in Goa. The collaboration between DHS, AstraZeneca and Qure.ai was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which has recently been extended for another two years.
The initiative is part of a wider effort to integrate AI into Goa’s public health system and enable timely treatment for serious illnesses.
With around 1,400 to 1,500 new cancer cases reported in the State every year, officials expect the programme to play a key role in improving early detection and survival rates.
They hope to cross the one-lakh screening mark within the next few weeks.
