India, July 12 -- As part of a first-of-its-kind endeavour to screen indoor patients for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) undertaken by the Regional Mental Hospital (RMH) at Yerawada, 22 out of 281 female inpatients screened at the hospital have been diagnosed with oral cancer whereas two have been diagnosed with cervical cancer. All 24 female inpatients have now been referred to Aundh District Hospital (ADH) for further medical management and treatment, officials said.

The decision to screen all inmates for NCDs taken by the hospital administration is an important step towards holistic healthcare, addressing not just mental health but also physical ailments among patients, officials said. The RMH currently has 1,057 inmates including 74...