A meeting of the Local Advisory Board (LAB) headed by Taku Chatung general secretary of Tanii Supuñ Dukuñ, apex community based organization of Apatani community, and the joint research team from Dr. B. Baruah Cancer Institute (BBCI), Guwahati Assam and TRIHMS, Naharlagun was conducted here on Monday.
The research team was in the district for a pilot study themed ‘Community Based Screening and Stratification of Risk Factors for Gastric Cancer in high incidence population of Ziro Valley,’ being carried out by the Dr. B. Baruah Cancer Institute, Guwahati Assam in collaboration with TRIHMS, Naharlagun.
Earlier, in October 2023, the Tanii Supuñ Dukuñ (TSD) had approached Dr. B. Borooah Cancer Institute and urged it to research the cancer prevalence among the Apatani community of Lower Subansiri district.
In October this year, the Guwahati-based BBCI issued a scientific clearance to research a pilot project on stomach cancer in Ziro Valley in Lower Subansiri district. Following this, the Lower Subansiri district administration went on to constitute a community advisory board to collaborate with the district administration to aid the pilot study.
The research team comprising HoD head and neck surgery BBCI Dr. Ashok Kumar Das, HoD surgical oncology Dr. Abhijit Talukdar, associate professor surgical oncology Dr. Deep Jyoti Kalita and project manager ACTREC TMC, Guwahati Sunyukta Kashyap and Dr. Rubu Sunku from TRIHMS, Naharlagun, along with members of Local Advisory Board also met Lower Subansiri deputy commissioner Vivek HP, who on his part assured all possible logistics and other support to the research team by the district administration.
The Board, while unanimously consented for extending all the support to the research team for community engagement, participation and awareness, also requested the team for early initiation of the pilot study.
