| Project Title | Project for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases in Tamil Nadu, TNNCD (Oncology) Project |
| Overall Goal | The burden of cancers is reduced in Tamil Nadu. |
| Project Purpose | The managerial capacity of cancer prevention and control is enhanced from administrative and clinical perspectives. |
| Implementing Agency | Health & Family Welfare Department, Government of Tamil Nadu technically supported by |
| Funded by | Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) |
| Type | Technical Cooperation |
| Target areas | The State of Tamil Nadu, the Republic of India |
| Beneficiaries | State and district-level administrative officers and medical professionals engaged in cancer prevention and control in Tamil Nadu. |
| Indirect Beneficiaries | Residents in Tamil Nadu |
| Project Duration | April 2022 – March 2026 (4 years) |
The project aims to enhance the existing screening programme of the Tamil Nadu government for cervical and breast cancers by instituting some of the major elements of organised cancer screening, including establishing a list of eligible individuals, personally inviting them to the cancer screening and collection and utilisation of the screening data. To support this, capacity building of health administrators and service providers as well as community sensitisation about the benefits of cancer screening are also being implemented in the pilot district of Ariyalur. The tools and systems developed through the pilot implementation are expected to be instrumental in the government’s efforts in instituting a practicable system of organised cancer screening for the entire state.
To facilitate the early diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC), the project introduces CRC clinical protocol and referral tools at primary and secondary government health facilities. It includes setting up a referral mechanism to ensure suspected cases are properly referred from primary and secondary health facilities to tertiary hospitals. Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) activities are also conducted to promote public awareness of CRC and health seeking behaviour. This is the first initiative on CRC by the government and implemented in the Coimbatore District as a pilot intervention.
The project provides advanced clinical skills training to government cancer care specialists and providers to enhance capacity in cancer diagnosis and treatment. The training covers the areas of gynaecologic oncology, radiation oncology, pathology, and gastroenterology. This specialized training is conducted both in Japan and India, followed by local or on-line training/discussions with Japanese experts. Clinical manuals/SOPs are developed based on the training, which are expected to be utilised by the trainees as well as other relevant practitioners to enhance/standardize the capacity in Tamil Nadu.
