60% of women seeking treatment for breast cancer in India are diagnosed at the late stages of the illness, said Dr Geeta Kadayaprath, a Surgical Oncologist at the Apollo Athenaa Women’s Cancer Centre in Delhi. Speaking at the Mission Namo Shakti session during NewsX’s We Women Want Conclave, Dr Kadayaprath noted that even though the number of breast cancer cases have shot up over the years, they are being countered by technologically advanced testing, coupled with improved treatment protocols. Highlighting the significance of awareness and timely testing, Dr Kadayaprath added that private hospitals are beginning to see a reversal in the trend, with nearly 70% of breast cancer patients at her hospital being diagnosed at early stages of the illness, in sharp contrast to the national trend.
She said this had been achieved because of greater awareness and better access to care among communities which can afford private medical treatment. The session highlighted the Namo Shakti Initiative, launched by Rajya Sabha MP Kartikeya Sharma, which brings AI enabled breast cancer screening to remote and rural communities through mobile health units. The panel also included Namo Shakti technicians Darshana Rani, Anjali Devi and Balbir Kaur, who shared their experiences with the project. They said the response from local communities had been encouraging. “As awareness increases, more and more women come to us for tests. When we go to villages, awareness is less there. Women don’t understand.
