The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka, in collaboration with ECHO India, non-governmental organizations, and private healthcare institutions, has launched a joint initiative titled 'Accelerating Cervical Cancer Elimination: The Karnataka Movement'. The initiative aims to advance efforts in eliminating cervical cancer across the state.
The launch event, held at Karnataka Vikasa Soudha, Bengaluru, saw the participation of Shri Dinesh Gundu Rao, Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka. During his inaugural address, he emphasized the government's commitment to making cervical cancer prevention, screening, and treatment accessible to all women, ensuring early detection and timely interventions to save lives. Other dignitaries included Dr. Hema Divakar (FIGO Division Director; Well Woman Healthcare & Ex-FOGSI President), Dr. Alexander Thomas (Founder & Patron, AHPI; Chairperson, Healthcare Sector Skill Council (HSSC) Karnataka), Dr. Vishal Rao (Chief, Head & Neck Surgical Oncology & Robotic Surgery, HCG Cancer Centre Bengaluru), Dr. Raj Shankar Ghosh (Founding Member, Quality, Equity, and Inclusion (QEI) in Public Health), and Dr. H Sudarshan (Trustee, ECHO India).
Dr. Hema Divakar highlighted the need for continued awareness and collaborative action to reduce the burden of cervical cancer. She mentioned that the Karnataka movement, supported by national and global partnerships, will empower women and girls to live healthier lives, setting an example for other states to follow.
Dr. Raj Shankar Ghosh introduced the Cervical Cancer Elimination India (CCEC-I) initiative, which aligns with the WHO's 90-70-90 strategy, focusing on vaccination, screening, and treatment. Dr. Alexander Thomas emphasized the efforts of the Karnataka consortium, which is working with nonprofits like ECHO India, Swasti, PHFI, and JHPIEGO to build healthcare professionals’ capacity in preventing and managing cervical cancer.
Dr. Vishal Rao stressed that the movement will adhere to WHO guidelines to ensure a widespread and effective impact. Dr. H. Sudarshan, Trustee of ECHO India, called for prioritizing immunization for young girls to prevent cervical cancer and highlighted ECHO India's commitment to vaccination programs aimed at controlling this preventable disease.
Dr. Sandeep Bhalla, Vice President, Projects, ECHO India, explained the organization's capacity-building programs in early detection and prevention of cervical cancer for nurses. These programs are currently active in eight states, including Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Sikkim, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Delhi, Gujarat, and Goa. He emphasized the importance of combating cervical cancer, especially in underserved areas where a lack of awareness and low accessibility contribute to the disease's higher prevalence.
ECHO India also collaborates with state departments and medical institutes to strengthen cancer care in areas such as oral cancer, breast cancer, pediatric cancer, palliative care, psycho-oncology, preventive oncology, and tobacco cessation.
About ECHO India
ECHO India is a not-for-profit organization established in 2008, working to transform healthcare, education, gender, and livelihoods through a collaborative learning model. By connecting frontline workers with experts, ECHO India enables them to deliver quality services in their communities. The organization has launched over 800 programs across 450 learning networks, impacting 90 million people across India. Through strategic partnerships with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, AIIMS, NIMHANS, and other institutions, ECHO India addresses more than 30 disease areas and strives to democratize knowledge for those who need it most.
(This story has been slightly reworked from an auto-generated PTI feed.)
