Vinca partners with Karkinos Healthcare to bridge cancer care gaps in Pune
By Express News Service, Pune, February 16, 2022: A team of cancer specialists practicing in different parts of Pune has set up daycare chemotherapy centers named Vinca Cancer Clinic at four different hospitals in the city — Lifepoint Hospital Wakad, Meadowlark Hospital Fatimanagar, Kasturba Hospital Vishrantwadi and Sushrut Hospital Kothrud.
In sync with the World Cancer Day (February 4) theme of the World Health Organization (WHO) to close the cancer care gap, these centers will offer chemotherapy at an affordable rate, said an official statement. The Wakad centre also has a tie-up with Rotary Club.
Vinca has tied up with Karkinos Healthcare — an oncology-focused healthcare platform — at all these centers for offering preventive health packages. Karkinos has already started its operations in Kerala and is looking to expand to Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka and West Bengal, said Sarika Phatak, Vice-President, Karkinos Healthcare.
Karkinos has developed a cancer risk assessment app for the general population which will let people understand their cancer risks and will be appropriately counselled by experts for risk reduction strategies. Early detection being a key to cancer cure, Karkinos will be providing preventive health expertise and equipment like velscope for early detection of oral cancers , colposcopy for cervix cancer detection, breast examination for breast cancer.
Karkinos Healthcare is working with several non-profit organizations such as Jnana Prabodhini, Swayam Shikhan Prayog to enable community screening at remote places.
Preventive tests will help detect cancer in early stages which can be cured with simpler treatments therefore people should get cancer screening tests after the age of 40, said Dr. Rakesh Neve, cancer surgeon from Vinca Cancer Clinic.
Dr Tushar Patil said, “Lifepoint Hospital Wakad will come up with a state-of-the-art radiotherapy unit where poor patients will be treated free of cost. Looking at the high prevalence of tobacco consumption in the youth which leads to oral and lung cancer, Lifepoint will start a free tobacco cessation clinic under the guidance of Centre for Health Research and Education, UK (CHRE UK). Here people can approach for free advice, they will be guided through a sequential process of pamphlets, videos and role-play and then pharmacotherapy as and when required. The necessary nicotine replacement and other medicines will be given free of cost and the patients will be followed up to ensure they quit completely.”
