Hyderabad 26th March 2019: CARE Hospitals in association with Piramal Swasthya announces the launch of community-based cancer screening programme “UMMEED” - to detect early and reduce the mortality due to cancer. It is expected to reduce the impact of cancer burden in the state of Telangana through early detection of oral, breast and cervical cancers in rural areas. Founded on the belief that cancer screening is a right, rather than a privilege, CARE Hospitals in association with Piramal Swasthya is offering the screenings free of cost in rural Telangana. The program will help screen patients in interior villages and a special all women team manning the van will encourage & educate the rural population about the importance of detecting cancer early.
Piramal Swasthya is the Healthcare initiative of Piramal Foundation, working towards making healthcare available, accessible and affordable to all. Considering the need of cancer screening intervention, Piramal Swasthya developed D.E.S.H. – Detect Early, Save Her/Him for oral, breast and cervical cancers. The first initiative of D.E.S.H. is being implemented in Kamrup, Assam. The programme components include creating community awareness, screening for the cancer of oral cavity, breast and cervix through mobile cancer screening units, mobility for the patients detected positive to a treatment centre and tracking and follow-up. With an objective of replicating the model in Telangana, Piramal Swasthya collaborated with CARE Hospitals to collaboratively contribute towards reduction on mortality due to cancers.
Dr Anil Arbandi – Haemato Oncologist CARE Hospitals said on this occasion the program “Compared to developed nations, the cases of cancer detected in India are low, but mortality rate is high. Most (68 %) patients with cancer die of their disease in India as compared to only 33% in USA. Nearly 70% of Indian population lives in rural India. However, nearly 95% of cancer care facilities are in urban India. The mortality rates in rural India are currently more than double of urban India. All this will hopefully change if preventive screenings are made available in villages. CARE Hospitals will do their part in this looming fight that rural India faces against cancer”.
Adding on to this Mr. Vishal Phanse, CEO – Piramal Swasthya said – “The cancer incidence rate in Telangana rose to 74 cancer patients for a lakh population compared to that of 54 in 1990. Considering the growing incidence of Cancer in India, Piramal Swasthya has realised a need for community-based cancer screening programme to prevent, screen, diagnose and treat oral, breast and cervical cancers in rural areas. Joining Hands with Care Hospitals is a momentous step towards fight against cancer. We believe that our programme will have significant impact in helping to reduce cancer-related mortality in Telangana.”
Dr Krishnamani KV - Medical Oncologist CARE Hospitals said “UMMEED meaning “Hope”, is an end to end program that will not only offer free Oral, Breast, general and Cervical cancer screenings through mobile unit but also counsel those detected with cancer and provide treatment support through referral to cancer hospitals”.
Addressing the conference Dr. Srinivas Juluri Director Surgical Oncologist CARE Hospitals said – “Cancers of oral cavity & lungs (male) and cervix & breast (female) account for >50% of all cancer deaths in India. 71% of all Cancer deaths in India – occur in age group between 30-69 years. One woman dies of cervical cancer every 8 minutes in India. For every 2 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer, 1 woman dies of it in India . Female mortality rate 63.2 % and male mortality rate is 72%. He said Cancer in India, needs Work at the primary level for prevention and early detection Concerted, coordinated and precise customized planning, at the tertiary level to ensure the best outcomes”.
At the conference, Dr. Shailendra Hegde, Head of Innovations at Piramal Swasthya said – “Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality and mobility in India and its incidence is growing rapidly in Telangana as well. Only some cancers affecting breast, cervical, skin, oral and colorectal show early signs and early detection of such cancers have nearly 100% chances of getting cured. The purpose of cancer screening is to detect those people with the disease who as yet are not exhibiting any overt signs or symptoms and appear healthy. Leveraging on this approach Piramal Swasthya and Care Hospitals have come together to sensitize people about the importance of importance of early diagnosis, cancer screening and treatment, and to remove the fear arising due to lack of awareness”
Dr.Raajiv Singhal Managing Director Evercare, said objective of this program is Screen Over 50,000 Patients during the year, Cover More than 100 Villages, touching over 3,00,000 lives.
On this occasion CARE Hospitals Oncology Team of Doctors, Dr Arun Kumar Lingutla - Medical Oncologist, Dr.Ranjit Kumar Consultant Pediatric Hemato Oncologist, Dr Pratap Verma - Surgical Onco, Dr Praveen Jadav - Surgical Oncology, Dr Rammohan Reddy - Radiation Oncologist, Dr.Prithvi Raj Jampana Consultant Medical & Radiation Oncologist CARE Hospitals are present and Dr. Shailedndra Hegde – Head of Innovations, Mr. Sridhar Upadhya – Senior Vice President and Mr. Madhusudhan Pundrothu – Chief Manager from Piramal Swasthya team were present.