India's first cancer care navigators graduate to transform patient support

A new initiative to improve cancer care in India has successfully trained its first group of healthcare professionals. The programme, part of the Cancer Care Bharat (CCB) Programme, focuses on Patient Navigation in Oncology Care. It was jointly launched by Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) and ECHO India. The inaugural batch of the Patient Navigation in Oncology Care Programme has now been completed. This batch included 73 participants, with 49 Medical Officers from NHM Maharashtra and 24 representatives from BMC. The training was supported by the National Health Mission (NHM) Maharashtra, the State Institute of Health and Family Welfare (SIHFW), Nagpur, and BMC.

These trained professionals will now assist cancer patients with timely diagnosis, referrals, treatment, follow-up care, and access to supportive services. A certificate distribution ceremony to mark their success will take place at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, on June 27.

The programme aims to expand further, with future batches planned for West Bengal and Gujarat. Overall, the goal is to train nearly 17,500 healthcare professionals across India. Tata Memorial Centre serves as the Academic Hub for Treatment & Care and Patient Navigation under the CCB Programme. The completion of the first batch marks a step forward in strengthening cancer care support. Trained professionals will now provide essential navigation services to patients. The programme is set to grow, with more regions and participants expected to join in the coming months.