Shubharambh: Initiative to Strengthen Breast Cancer Care in Uttar Pradesh
The event brought together key stakeholders to explore strategies for strengthening breast cancer awareness, early detection, and diagnosis across the state.The event was graced byMr. ParthaSarathi Sen Sharma, Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare and Medical Education, Prof. Dr. C.M. Singh, Director, RMLIMS, and other senior government officials. Representatives from various sectors – government, academics, specialists, researchers, private players, public health experts, developmental partners, and community organizations- were present in the room to share their views from their respective domains.
The event began with the most critical pointers shared by Mr. ParthaSarathi Sen Sharma, Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare and Medical Education, which laid the foundation for discussions and helped identify concrete actionables.The event saw an inspiring message from Prof. Dr. C.M. Singh, Director, RMLIMS, who extended his unwavering support for initiatives like Shubharambh and emphasized the pivotal role of RMLIMS in delivering care throughout the continuum. Dr. Parag Bhamare from Jhpiego discussed about the burden of the disease and the global strategies and targets that need to be achieved for reducing this, offering valuable insights for all participants. The pillars of intervention that are planned to strengthen the various levels from community activities to health systems strengthening were shared. A powerful video showcased the impactful awareness activities conducted at RMLIMS and across urban and rural sites, underscoring the importance of engaging communities.
This was followed by a presentation from Dr. Alka Sharma, State Nodal Officer for NCDs, providing a clear understanding of the government’s perspective and aligning the discussions with system priorities. From the outset, the event fostered dynamic and meaningful exchanges among experts, setting the stage for the next segment.The brainstorming session, titled “Overcoming Challenges and Driving Solutions for Timely Diagnosis of Breast Cancer,” aligning with this year’s theme: “No one should face breast cancer alone.” was chaired by Dr. Pradyumn Singh, Dean, RMLIMS, with co-chair Dr. S.D. Kandpal, HoD, Community Medicine and moderated by Dr Dinesh Singh, Sr Technical Advisor Jhpiego. Insights were shared pertaining to challenges and on possible solutionsacross sectors.
The session concluded with stakeholders committing to a collaborative way forward to sustain the momentum of breast cancer care beyond Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The event reflected a strong resolve to ensure that no woman in Uttar Pradesh is left behind in the fight against breast cancer.Quote:"Empowering women and their families to take an active role in breast cancer care is essential. Promoting self-breast examination and clinical breast examination by trained providers forms a foundation of early detection efforts. Additionally, having a robust diagnostic triad and conducting economic evaluations, including Health Technology Assessment (HTA) studies, will help us assess the most effective screening and diagnostic modalities. These discussions have laid a strong foundation for today’s brainstorming session, with the aim of shaping meaningful policy interventions that improve access and outcomes for breast cancer care in Uttar Pradesh." - said Mr. ParthaSarathi Sen Sharma, Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfareand Medical Education Govt of UP