Press Coverage

Paras HMRI Hospital Patna and Paras Cancer Centre, Patna – Bihar’s first comprehensive cancer care centre won the Best Public Health Campaign Award at the India Health Wellness Summit 2016 held on Dec 15, 2016 at Taj Hotel New Delhi. Numerous hospitals and healthcare players shared their nomination for the prestigious award and the summit was attended and honoured by various union, state ministers, healthcare professionals and industry stalwarts.

The award was for a nationwide social media campaign that was launched to sensitise the population on the risks, causes and treatment of Oral Cancer. The initiative was supported by various social media influencers who trended the hashtags #SpitOutCancer and #TambakuSeyAzadi . The campaign gathered more than 20,000 tweets, retweets and follower interest. The campaign also included selfies with boards that highlighted the support for the campaign. Doctors of Paras Cancer Centre shared their advice through informative videos highlighting the importance of quitting the deadly habit.

The social media campaign is a part of an outreach program to create more awareness about preventive aspects associated with cancer. It is a part of an elaborate cancer prevention campaign to be launched by Paras Cancer Centre.

According to Dr Talat Halim, Medical Director Paras Patna, “This is a unique type of activation that included the patients, employees, doctors and other supporters of Paras Patna. It helped generate strong public opinion on how tobacco is primarily responsible for turning Bihar in the oral cancer capital of the country. We as healthcare providers have a strong social responsibility to raise awareness, launch prevention programs and most importantly educate the common man about detecting the signs and symptoms of oral cancer. All our efforts concur with the agenda of early detection and treatment, which are exceptionally important for Cancer.”

The team of doctors that participated in the unique initiative were: – Dr Rajeev Sharan – Sr Consultant and Chief Head and Neck Onco Surgery, Dr Mitali Dhandekar, Consultant Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, Dr RN Tagore, Sr Consultant Medical Oncology, Dr Avinash Kumar, Consultant Haemato Oncology, Dr Shekhar Kesari , Sr Consultant Radiation Oncology and  Dr Kunal Kishore, Consultant Radiation Oncology.

The campaign also included inspiring and motivating patient stories, videos and informative videos from the doctors on oral cancer.

#SpitOutCancer #TambakuSeyAzadi