INDIA – Pfizer has announced that since 2020, its support for Tata Trusts Cancer Care program has assisted in enrolling and screening 70,000 people for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and cancer across Assam, Jharkhand, and Andhra Pradesh.

For their Cancer Care Programme, Pfizer collaborated with Tata Trusts’ Special Purpose Vehicle, Alamelu Charitable Foundation (ACF), to help set up health and wellness kiosks, facilitate community screening and a virtual patient helpdesk.

The program also assists in the training of Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) and Anganwadi workers in Diphu and Silchar in Assam, as well as Ranchi, Jharkhand, and Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.

Commenting on the achievements of the program so far, S Sridhar, Managing Director, Pfizer said, “Innovative and life-saving therapies are the foundation of modern cancer care, and yet, care must begin from reducing exposure to modifiable risk factors, large scale screening to help early detection and diagnosis, and supporting patients through their journey.”

The partnership has been of great significance in truly supporting the patients from early detection, through the care continuum, to help ensure that their treatment outcomes are the best possible.

The partners are proud of the outcomes they have achieved in the first year and look forward to expanding this program within Assam; to other cities in the North East; and to the rest of India.

Assam has one of India’s highest rates of new cancer cases. The partnership’s goal is to help reduce the high cancer burden by raising awareness, assisting in early detection of cancer, and providing public, patient, and caregiver support throughout the cancer treatment journey through various programs.

Ongoing programs

Pfizer contributes to health and wellness kiosks at Diphu Medical College & Hospital and Silchar Medical College, as well as Ranchi’s Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and Chandragiri’s Area Hospital.

The kiosks’ goal is to teach people how to reduce their risk of cancer and other lifestyle-related diseases. Oral cancer, cervical cancer, and breast cancer are all screened for.

There are also counseling sessions available to help smokers quit. This is especially important in India, where tobacco use is linked to one-third of all cancer cases.

Virtual patient helpdesks have been established at the State Cancer Institute (SCI) in Assam, the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Cancer Care and Advanced Research (SVICCAR) in Tirupati, and the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi, Jharkhand.

The virtual helpdesks assist patients with non-medical issues such as psychosocial support, financial counseling, and registration support for virtual appointments.

Community outreach

Screening and early detection camps for noncommunicable diseases are held in Assam, Ranchi, and Tirupati in collaboration with the state National Health Mission.

General Practitioners (GPs) and Health Care Partners are trained to identify cancer symptoms and provide palliative care as needed.

ASHAs and Anganwadi workers are taught about cancer prevention, lifestyle changes, and screening for cancer and other noncommunicable diseases.

Finally, the program also includes patient referral and tracking platform that is used to track and capture demographic and screening related information.

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