; Community Outreach & Engagement | Cancer care
Community outreach

Community outreach

Our public health team is actively engaged in various community awareness and sensitisation initiatives to combat cancer. Their work includes educating the public about the causes of cancer and preventive measures, conducting screening for early detection, and supporting those who have been diagnosed with the disease to follow through with their treatment.

To supplement the existing cancer care infrastructure, a comprehensive public health programme has been initiated to conduct community awareness and screening activities for prevalent cancers. This programme is being executed in collaboration with the local, state, and district health administrations though the National Health Mission (NHM) and aims to strengthen existing government programmes such as the National Programme for Prevention & Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases & Stroke (NPCDCS) and the National Tobacco Control Program (NTCP). Through these proactive efforts, the public health team of RCHRC is working to reduce the burden of cancer in the community.

Early detection through awareness and screening

Our outreach team places significant emphasis on raising awareness about cancer, and promoting preventive measures and early detection. These include creating campaigns, designing communication material, conducting awareness sessions, and collaborating with panchayat samitis, self-help groups, community based organisations, and local NGOs to drive change at the grassroots level.

All awareness sessions are followed by screenings for common cancers, namely oral, breast and cervical cancers. The team is fully trained and equipped to conduct these screenings. To enable more people to benefit from our screening programmes, they are conducted in collaboration with the National Health Mission. All individuals who are identified as cancer suspects are referred to the hospital for further care by dedicated Patient Navigators.  

Expanding awareness and screening through kiosk

Swasth Jharkhand, our screening and awareness kiosk set up at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi, is focused on spreading cancer awareness and providing screening for cancer and other non-communicable diseases to patients and their family members visiting the hospital. Patient Navigators stationed at the kiosk proactively engage with visitors, educate them about the importance of screening, and encourage them to get themselves screened.

Capability building at the grassroots

We provide training to equip Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) and staff of Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) with the skills to raise cancer awareness and conduct screenings for common cancers like oral, breast, and cervical cancer. By building a network of well-trained frontline workers, we aim to enhance the quality of care and the reach of early detection in the community.

Bringing down tobacco consumption

Awareness around the effects of tobacco consumption is vital to prevent multiple cancers, as it is found to be the single largest cause of preventable deaths due to the disease.

In partnership with the National Tobacco Control Programme, people, especially the youth, are being sensitised about the risks associated with the use and consumption of tobacco in various forms.

We conduct a host of initiatives to spread awareness about the health risks of tobacco use with educational institutes, National Service Scheme volunteers, youth associations, the local police, NGOs and others. Importantly, these teams are trained to implement tobacco control measures as well. The team works closely with various stakeholders at educational institutes to implement the Tobacco Free Educational Institutes (ToFEI) guidelines.

Outreach Impact

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People screened for oral,
breast and cervical cancers

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Youth sensitised against tobacco use

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Frontline workers trained

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Doctors trained

From March 2020 to June 2024

What’s new

Resources

Dentist Handbook with extracts based on the Continuing Medical Education (CME) Programme by Tata Cancer Care Foundation supported by an educational grant from Pfizer

Dentist Handbook with extracts based on the Continuing Medical Education (CME) Programme

General Practitioner’s Handbook with extracts based on the Continuing Medical Education (CME) Programme by Tata Cancer Care Foundation supported by an educational grant from Pfizer

General Practitioner’s Handbook with extracts based on the Continuing Medical Education (CME) Programme

Learn the steps for conducting self-examination for oral cancer

Learn the steps for conducting self-examination for oral cancer

Few simple steps can reduce your risk for cancer

Few simple steps can reduce your risk for cancer

Signs and symptoms of oral, breast and cervical cancers that you need to watch out

Signs and symptoms of oral, breast and cervical cancers that you need to watch out