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- Umeed is the result of a collaboration between Fortis Vasant Kunj, Lioness Club 321 A2 and Bala Pritam Cancer Care
- Patients from economically weaker sections across India have been treated under the initiative
New Delhi, April 26 , 2018: Cancer cases are increasing at an alarming rate in India and it is apprehended that 17 lakh new cases will be added by the year 2020. The Government hospitals offering treatment of cancer have a limited capacity. The premier hospitals in private sector have the capacity to provide quality treatment but are expensive. This leaves in lurch thousands of patients from underprivileged section of the society who die every year because of long queues at government hospitals and their incapacity to afford expensive treatment.
UMEED is a vision of Dr. Mandeep Singh which aims to bridge the gap between healthcare access and affordability. It ensures that quality care is given in a timely manner to those patients who require it irrespective of their financial capacity. Dr. Mandeep Singh translated his dream into realty with the collaborative effort of Lns. Lalita Rakyan (Project Chairperson) Lioness Distt. 321 A2, who brought in funds for the project and Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital, Vasant Kunj, Delhi and Bala Pritam Cancer Care Hospital, who came forward to provide infrastructure for surgery and treatment to patients at a highly subsidised cost. Normally the patients enrolled under UMEED are those who have been diagnosed of cancer at an advanced stage.
In present form, UMEED supports patients suffering from Head Neck, Breast and Thyroid Cancers. Dr. Mandeep Singh and Dr. Deepak Jha are using latest techniques to treat and cure such patients. UMEED has reached its first mile stone by completing its 50th free surgery which was done on Mr Anwar Alam, 40 years old male from Kanpur, suffering from advanced Buccal(Oral) Cancer which had fungated through the skin and was not responding to Radiotherapy. It was his only chance of survival, the whole of left side of face both lower and upper jaw bone had to be removed. The face was reconstructed with two flaps (tissue) one from chest and one from shoulder. The patient has recovered well and is due to go back to Kanpur to complete his radiation.
With focus on providing quality and affordable cancer care to underprivileged patients suffering from Breast, Thyroid and Oral cancer, UMEED shall complete its first year in July 2018. The process of registering under UMEED is fairly simple. The first evaluation is done by Dr. Mandeep and his team. The treatment plan is then submitted to UMEED which provides funding after evaluating the financial condition of the patient. Majority of patients have been fully funded. During some instances poor patients requiring complex surgeries and intensive post care, have even been funded between Rupees three to four 4 lakhs.
According to Dr. Mandeep, “Through this initiative we were able to provide services to all who need them. We have had support from all across the country to make UMEED a successful campaign. While Fortis Vasant Kunj and Bala Pritam Cancer Care provide surgical assistance, we are receiving radiation assistance from the oncology department of J K Cancer Institute, Kanpur & AMU. A few good Samaritans in Kanpur have made arrangements for stay and food for the patients and their families, as the radiation goes on for almost a month or more .Most of the cases we treated were rejected by other hospitals because of the complications involved. Cancer treatment is multi – interventionary in nature and consists of surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. These are extensive, expensive and difficult treatment procedures. It is not just lack of awareness but also lack of access to right treatment at right time and affordable costs which contribute to the rising cancer deaths.
Lns. Lalita Rakyan (Project Chairperson) Lioness Distt. 321 A2 said,“UMEED is an initiative for Quality & Affordable Cancer Care. It comprises of free surgeries and chemotherapy for the underprivileged who are suffering from breast, thyroid and oral cancer. It is a path breaking initiative which focuses on ensuring quality treatment rather than charity. It is just the beginning for UMEED and we are hopeful of ensuring maximum outreach. We have set-up a process for the scrutiny of needy patients and willing to go that extra mile to service them.”
Mr. Sandeep Guduru, Facility Director at Fortis Vasant Kunj says “We at Fortis Vasant Kunj are extremely proud to be a part of a program which is taking tertiary care treatment for such dreaded disease to the socially weaker strata of the society. There is immense support for the program from oncologists, pathologists, radiologists and the whole medical fraternity.”
Since the inception in 2017, the UMEED initiative has reached an incredible milestone but there is still a long way to go. Delivering quality health services comes with responsibility and with the joint efforts of UMEED, Bala Pritam Cancer Care and Fortis Hospital Vasant Kunj we are sure to reach out to the maximum of the needy population.
