Ambuja Cements Launches Cancer Awareness and Education Program

MUMBAI:
Ambuja Cements, the cement and building material company of Adani Cement and part of Adani Group, through its CSR arm launched a Cancer Awareness and Education programme in collaboration with Association of Breast Surgery (ABS), UK along with its counterpart Association of Breast Surgeons in India (ABSI) and Tata Cancer Care Program, in Chandrapur, Maharashtra to educate communities.

The Company has made a strategic decision to include cancer interventions under its Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) umbrella. Cancer is a serious health issue that is being neglected in rural communities, with Breast Cancer being the highest incidence worldwide including India. In Chandrapur, the company has developed a strong cadre of Sakhis who have assisted in improving health indicators in MCH and NCDs.

A three-day event hosted health experts from India and UK who provided education and training on best practices and techniques to regional level oncology doctors, newly appointed community health officers of Health and Wellness Centres and Government Health officials. Approximately 300 women beneficiaries got themselves examined and frontline workers received training in identification and treatment methods. While the specialists provided knowledge and screening for breast cancer, the team from Tata Cancer Care Program also screened the beneficiaries for cervical and oral cancer.

Ajay Kapur, CEO, Cement Business said, “It is our privilege to be associated with the oncologists, doctors and other health professionals of ABS, ABSI and Tata Trusts. This intervention will go a long way in providing learning opportunities for our regional healthcare workers and Sakhis. By training them on Cancer Interventions through health professionals and behavior change communication, we expect improvement on cancer indicators in the communities. We hope to expand this program across our locations to improve the status of cancer thus creating healthy communities.”

“Our team of health professionals have formed the International Forum to work with women across the globe and improve outcomes from Breast Cancer. I am delighted that ABS and ABSI have teamed up with Ambuja and are able to offer our expertise and knowledge to the crucial health workers of rural India. We will continue to work together with Ambuja and help improve health indicators of Breast Cancer in other parts of rural India,’’ said Dr. Leena Chagla, FRCS, Consultant surgeon and President – Elect, ABS, UK.

“It is heartening to see our organizations collaborating together to work on a common cause especially for rural India. We needs such alliances in India, but eventually we need Indian solutions for Indian problems, and we are delighted to collaborate with Ambuja to find these” said Dr. SVS Deo, President, ABSI and Head Department of Surgical Oncology, AIIMS, New Delhi.

A special segment of this event focused on increasing the capacity of frontline health workers, ASHA, ANMs, and Sakhis in identifying high-risk signs and symptoms, self-breast examination techniques, including practical training on lump identification on breast prosthesis, and early detection of cancer cases and recommending treatment.

Ambuja’s health interventions have been highly appreciated by the district health and medical authorities due to its work for the past many years in bringing behavioral change in the communities. The Company will continue to work with the medical fraternity in Chandrapur and in close collaboration with the Tata Cancer Care Program to provide referrals and treatment.