Ronald Zweemer from the Netherlands at the B. Borooah Cancer Institute. Telegraph picture

Dec. 7: The B. Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI) in collaboration with the Dutch School of Gynaecologic Oncology and Pelvic Surgery has started a two-year post-graduate fellowship programme in gynaecologic oncology.

As part of the programme, Ronald Zweemer from the Netherlands has been in the city from November 28 conducting classes and imparting training programmes to the students at the institute. He will conclude his training tomorrow.

Gynaecologic oncology is a specialised field of medicine that focuses on cancers of the female reproductive system, including ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, endometrial cancer, cervical cancer and vulvar cancer.

“To start the course the chairman of the Dutch school, Peter Heintz, had earlier signed a memorandum of understanding with the BBCI in the presence of U.C. Sarma, vice-chancellor of Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences, Assam. The course is affiliated to the university,” BBCI director Amal Chandra Kataki said.

Two post-graduate students have enrolled for the course which started last month. After successful completion of the faculty programme, the doctors will be posted at the Netherlands for another six months’ training.

“Under the scheme, faculties from the Netherlands will visit the BBCI twice a year for a period of two weeks and will impart teaching and training programme. An expert, Brigrette Maria Slangen, had already visited the institute in this connection,” Kataki said.

“Our country is short of gynaecologic oncologists. The Dutch school has selected three centres in the country for the fellowship programme. Our institute is the first to start the programme,” Kataki said.

“About five lakh cervical cancer cases are detected every year in the world. Currently, 1.32 lakh new cervical cancer cases are detected in India. Human papilloma virus vaccines are available for prevention of the commonest cancer in women in our country,” Kataki said.

The World Health Organisation recently disclosed that cervical cancer has emerged as the largest killer of Indian women, surpassing breast cancer.

A cancer care hospital and research centre, BBCI has been catering to the needs of the people of the entire Northeast since it was set up in 1973. It has been named after Bhubaneswar Borooah, a physician and philanthropist. The institute was recognised as regional cancer centre by the Union ministry of health and family welfare in 1980.

It has been found that woman between the age of 30 and 40, a stage in life when she is likely to have young children, are afflicted by the disease.

From last year the state government has decided to administer anti-cervical cancer vaccines to Class IX girls.