PANAJI: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has announced the launch of a large-scale longitudinal cohort study titled Goa CARES 2025, aimed at improving public health and tackling the rising burden of non-communicable diseases.
The study, in collaboration with Tata Memorial Hospital and Oxford University, will examine the lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors contributing to chronic illnesses in the state.
Speaking at the launch, Sawant highlighted the study's significance in identifying risk factors for diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular issues, diabetes, and kidney disease.
"This initiative will play a pivotal role in enhancing public health through data-driven policy and scientific research," he said. The study will target a sample size of one lakh people from Goa's population of 14 lakh, covering a broad demographic.
Dr. Rajesh Dixit, Director of the Centre of Cancer Epidemiology at Tata Memorial Hospital, explained that Goa's unique genetic diversity makes it ideal for this research.
Dr. Dixit also highlighted the study's focus on early detection of chronic conditions, with participants receiving immediate biochemistry reports to facilitate timely interventions. The research will screen for ovarian and breast cancer as well.
The proposed '1,000 Genome Goa' project aims to address the state's limited representation in the Genome India project, despite its significant genetic diversity. The initiative plans to analyze blood samples, conduct biochemistry evaluations, and provide immediate health insights.
“We can detect early signs of chronic diseases such as kidney issues or lipid abnormalities and recommend timely intervention,” said Dr Dixit. The project will also screen for ovarian and breast cancer, enabling early detection.
Dixit said the Genome India project would help improve Goa’s electronic medical records and cause of death registration system by identifying gaps and strengthening IT infrastructure.
Dr. Shivanand Bandekar, Dean of Goa Medical College, emphasized the study's role in improving prevention strategies. He expressed concern over the increasing number of young patients presenting with heart-related conditions.
"If prevention components are actively integrated into Goa's health system, we could reduce such cases, the main objective,e of this study is to see if there are modifiable risk factors and if they can be modified, then we could have a healthy population in Goa" he said.
