Karkinos Healthcare, Nirmala College sign first-of-its-kind MoU on cancer awareness and care

The World Health Organization (WHO) mandates a public health strategy to mitigate cancer. WHO stresses that early diagnosis of cancer is essential to detect symptomatic patients as early as possible so they have the best chance for successful treatment. When cancer care is delayed or inaccessible there is a lower chance of survival, greater problems associated with treatment and higher costs of care. Hence, conducting public outreach programs and screening for the most common cancers in a defined population is considered the most viable option to detect cancers and treat at a manageable stage.

In support of this strategy, oncology focused startup Karkinos Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. and premier educational institution Nirmala College of Arts and Science, Mulanthuruthy, Kerala, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreeing to take cancer care closer to the citizens. Regarded as a first-of-its-kind coming together of an academic institution and an oncology services startup, this partnership entails several bold initiatives in mitigating cancer. The staff and the students of Nirmala College and Karkinos Healthcare have collaborated to mutually utilize their strengths to benefit the society at large.

Karkinos Healthcare is a purpose driven organization engaged in the development of an end-to-end technology driven oncology focused managed healthcare platform for providing better, faster, and wider access to and treatment opportunity for the patients of non-communicable diseases primarily cancer. Nirmala College and Karkinos Healthcare will co-execute their mission of cancer care by adopting a four-fold approach i.e., through community outreach; awareness programs; mobilization; and through cancer support groups.

Nirmala College will engage with Karkinos Healthcare in various forms of outreach programs that will be conducted in the vicinity and catchment area of the college. The student community, staff, and parents would play a key role in the outreach initiatives with guidance and support from Karkinos Healthcare. The college will embark on a mission to create awareness about cancer amongst its students, staff, parents, resident’s associations and other community members. Karkinos Healthcare will play a role as knowledge partners in this initiative and make available qualified resource persons and IEC material to aid in this activity. Nirmala College will also engage in mobilizing the community for the various outreach activities planned with Karkinos Healthcare.

The college will make arrangements for conducting engagement activities such as mega screening camps, awareness sessions, etc., on campus. Nirmala college will also liaise with local authorities to conduct similar activities for the extended community as well. Extending further, the college will assist Karkinos Healthcare in identification of cancer patients seeking psycho-social support. The students and staff of the college will also participate in curating sessions aimed at providing cancer patients and their family members with the required support and reassurance.

While executing these programs Karkinos Healthcare will recruit eligible students from Nirmala College for suitable jobs and internship opportunities subject to availability. Students who have participated in the outreach activities will be preferred for such placement drives.

Commenting about the partnership, Dr. Moni Abraham Kuriakose, Medical Director, Karkinos Healthcare & CEO Karkinos Kerala, said, “Cancer prevention needs to be conceived as a people’s movement. The collaboration between Karkinos Healthcare and Mulanthuruthy’s Nirmala Arts and Science College is a fine example of this. Students serving as volunteers for cancer risk assessment in the community will bring about a positive impact on creating awareness about cancer at a bigger level and among a diverse population.”

The outcome of the partnership will ensure that the community has access to the right information regarding cancer whenever they require it. Deserving and eligible students will also have the opportunity to work for their community in the space of cancer care. As a combined result of the partnership, through various outreach activities the message on cancer prevention will be disseminated and the overall burden caused by cancer will decrease significantly over the coming years.