Asha Jyoti: Women's Healthcare Mobile Outreach Program

Commitment By RAD-AID International

In 2012, RAD-AID International committed to implement a unique integrated mobile women's health outreach program to provide screening and referral for breast cancer, cervical cancer, and osteoporosis to over 7,000 underserved patients over five years in Northern India, in the Punjab province and City of Chandigarh. Approximately two thirds of the world's population has inadequate access to medical imaging services, such as x-ray, ultrasound, and mammography, which contributes to the prevalence of HIV-related disease, tuberculosis, cancer, heart disease, and trauma, because these conditions often require radiology for diagnosis and care. Through an innovative partnership with Philips Healthcare, RAD-AID will deploy a specially designed mobile clinic that will provide preventative mammography and bone densitometry testing, as well as educational programming, bringing vital health services to underserved populations.

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Commitment Summary

Launched

2012

Region

Asia

Commitment by:

RAD-AID International

Est. Duration

5 years

Countries

India

Partners

PGIMER Chandigarh
Philips Healthcare

UPDATES ABOUT THIS COMMITMENT:

April 2013

Asha Jyoti Mobile Women's Healthcare has successfully launched the first mobile unit of its kind into the community of Chandigarh, a city in the northern state of Punjab, India. The van was donated in kind by Philips HealthCare and was delivered in May 2012. This garnered both local and international press coverage. The van was initially tested on site by RAD-AID's clinical partner, the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh, a highly respected government medical center. Prior to van deployment, the PGIMER School of Public Health assisted in providing community education and sensitization to ensure that women would be comfortable with the idea of screening tests and also be educated about the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, cervical cancer, and osteoporosis.

The van has been so successful in working with marginalized women in Chandigarh that other communities and local governments in Punjab have requested the services at weekend screening camps, where hundreds of women can be served in a matter of days with real-time results from PGIMER physicians. To date, over 1,500 women have been screened and numerous abnormal tests have required referral to PGIMER for diagnostic testing and treatment.