GACCF – Access to Care in India

The primary goal of this project is to study the effect of health education in promoting early diagnosis and treatment of oral, breast and cervical cancer. The secondary objectives are to identify care pathways & problems for oral, breast & cervical cancer and to strengthen the services of early detection of oral, breast & cervical cancer in the Civil Hospital of Gadchiroli.

Background

The Gadchiroli district is situated on the eastern border of Maharashtra with a total population of about 1,072,942. It is one of the most backward districts of Maharashtra with a very high consumption of smokeless tobacco. According to the report of population-based cancer registry (PBCR), the tobacco-related cancer (TRC) in Gadchiroli area, Maharashtra state was found to be 50% in males and 30.5% in females; among which 18.5% in males and 10.7% in females are associated with mouth cancer.

Project Timeline: March of 2022 – February of 2026

Target Regions: The Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra

Detailed Description:

Summary:

In 2020, The Global Access to Cancer Care Foundation partnered with Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai to understand the epidemiology of cancer in the rural and tribal regions of Gadchiroli. This district is one of the most backward regions of India and there is a need for training centers and staffed experts in cancer care so education can be tailored to the needs of the community. After a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the GACCF has officially launched this project in the tribal regions of Gadchiroli thanks to its launch funding partner, Boston Scientific.

Over the last year our team at Tata Memorial Hospital has established many partnerships that will allow for the smooth flow of operations through early 2026. These partnerships include The All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), The Public Health Department of Maharashtra, and The District Civil Hospital in Gadchiroli. The completion of this project at that time will have a lasting impact of this underserved community for years to come.

Immediate Impact (as of March of 2023):

160 Medical Officers trained
80 ANM Health Workers trained.
200 more healthcare works to be fully trained in next few months (they must train staff in batches, as Healthcare workers are assigned to multiple work at district level)
Between 25 and 30 patients fully treated. This number will increase significantly with support from the AIIMS hospital.
2,500 patients screened throughout 20 villages in the region.
Screening will increase once additional resources are fully operational