Healthcare workers in Kohima district receive training on AI-based oral cancer screening using the Aarogya Aarohan app.
DIMAPUR — A two-day hands-on training on AI-based oral cancer screening for healthcare workers from Kohima district health centres was conducted on September 29 and 30, with 70 participants attending the first day and teams subsequently carrying out mobile-based oral screening at 12 health centres across four blocks.
The training was organised by Dr. K&T Keditsu Foundation, a registered non-profit organisation, in collaboration with the National Oral Health Programme (NOHP) Cell, Directorate of Health and Family Welfare, Nagaland; Dental department, Naga Hospital Authority Kohima; and CMO Kohima, with support from TANUH Foundation and the 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; and Dr. Savitesh Kushwaha, Junior Statistician.
Dr. Keduovinuo Keditsu Chielie, Principal Investigator of the Oral Screening Programme, Kohima, was also a resource person.
The objective of the training was to enhance the knowledge and skills of frontline healthcare workers and strengthen the existing oral cancer screening processes and outcomes under the National Programme on Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Disease programme.
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The first day of the training, conducted at Putuonuo Hospital, Kohima, on September 29, recorded 70 participants, including 50 from government centres comprising staff nurses, GNMs, ANMs and CHOs of Kohima district health centres, and 20 programme staff of Dr. K&T Keditsu Foundation.
The programme featured an address by Dr. N Moangangba Jamir, State Nodal Officer of NOHP, and a felicitation of the resource persons by Dr. Toshevi Keditsu Sema, Managing Director of Dr. K&T Keditsu Foundation.
The training covered the theoretical fundamentals of AI-based oral screening, identification of normal and abnormal oral lesions and orientation to the Aarogya Aarohan App.
This was 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.
The training highlighted the importance of early identification and appropriate referral of suspected oral abnormalities, stating that oral cancer is the third most common cancer in India.
On September 30, the team of experts visited 12 health centres across four blocks of Kohima district, namely Kohima Sadar, Sechu-Zubza, Jakhama-Kezocha and Chiephobozou-Botsa. The team provided hand-holding support for mobile-based oral screening by the healthcare participants at their respective health centres.
A total of 30 AI app-enabled mobile phones were deployed in Kohima district, including 20 at government centres and 10 for Dr. K&T Keditsu Foundation social workers.
The two-day programme was awarded three credit hours by the Nagaland Nursing Council.