Mobile cancer screenings launched: Tata Steel Foundation initiates comprehensive mobile cancer screening; Aiming for early detection in rural communities

Jamshedpur: Tata Steel Foundation (TSF) in collaboration with Jamshedpur Cancer Society (JCS) through its hospital, Meherbai Tata Memorial Hospital (MTMH), on Monday announced launch of a comprehensive Mobile Cancer Screening (MCS) initiative to improve access to early cancer detection and treatment for rural communities in East Singhbhum (Jharkhand), Meramandali and Kalinganagar in Odisha where it also operates.It was followed after formal signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between TSF and JCS today, it said in a statement.“The initiative, proposed to be functional from December 2025 to March 2028, will provide end-to-end cancer care solutions, covering community awareness, screening, confirmatory diagnosis and linkage to definitive treatment," it said.The programme will focus on oral, breast and cervical cancers, which account for a significant burden of preventable cancer-related morbidity and mortality in India.Under the project, monthly mobile screening camps will be organised at each of the three locations. Each camp will run for Monday to Thursday and a half-day on Friday per week and is expected to deliver up to 90 mammograms, 65 PAP smears, and check 135 oral cancer cases.“In addition to screenings and cancer awareness, primary prevention sessions will be conducted to educate communities on risk factors, early symptoms and the importance of timely medical intervention," it said.

A key pillar of the initiative is capacity building of local healthcare professionals.“Master trainers will be trained at MTMH, who will subsequently train ASHA workers and frontline health staff, strengthening grassroots-level screening and referral mechanisms," read the statement.Individuals with positive screening results will be referred to MTMH for confirmatory diagnostics. Diagnosed patients will be supported in accessing appropriate treatment, including linkage to govt health schemes wherever applicable.“The mCSU is a noble way to take state-of-the-art screening system to the wider masses for whom travelling large distances to access good healthcare is difficult,” D B Sundara Ramam, Director, TSF, Director, said on the occasion.