Mumbai : On the occasion of International Women’s Day, SBI General Insurance, and Tata Capital has joined hands with the MOC Cancer Care Foundation (MOCF) to announce a life-saving initiative ‘Breast Cancer Detection Mobile Mammography Van’. The van is specifically designed to promote early detection of breast cancer, which is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in India.  It will also have a provision to conduct Cervical Cancer screening (PAP Smear or LBC) and Oral cancer examination, making it a multi-utility van.

Through this collaboration, the project aims to address factors contributing to the late-stage detection of breast cancer by providing breast cancer screening to rural and marginalized areas at a highly subsidized rate through a mobile mammography van. According to WHO, breast cancer continues to have high prevalence in India, remaining one of the leading cancers among women, with as many as 26% new cases. The report highlights that in India, breast, oral and cervical cancer accounted for 32% of the new cases.

Through this CSR initiative, SBI General Insurance and Tata Capital Ltd., aim to reach underprivileged and rural women through mammography screenings across Maharashtra over one year of operation. The van will be equipped with a mammography machine, along with a team of doctors, technicians, and nurses. This Mobile Mammography Van will travel through Maharashtra, touching the remote and interior areas of Marathwada, Barshi, Solapur, Satara, Sangli, Karad, Yewla, Malegaon, Dhule to name a few.

The flag off event was held in Mumbai in the presence of Mr. Rathin Lahiri, Head of Marketing & CSR at SBI General Insurance, and Mr. Sridhar Sarathy, Chief Ethics Officer & Head Sustainability, CSR at Tata Capital Limited, and other dignitaries from SBI General Insurance Company Ltd. and Tata Capital Ltd.  Additionally, all the trustees of the MOC Cancer Care Foundation, who are renowned cancer physicians, namely Dr. Vashishth Maniar, Dr. Ashish Joshi, Dr. Pritam Kalaskar, and Dr. Kshitij Joshi, were present for the inauguration ceremony.

On this initiative, Mr. Rathin Lahiri, Head Marketing & CSR, SBI General Insurance said, “Early detection is key to curing cancer. Women in small towns and remote villages often face significant challenges due to a lack of awareness and resources available for undergoing screening. Our initiative aims to bridge this gap by bringing early cancer detection services to rural areas at subsidised cost, addressing the shortage of testing facilities.”

Mr. Sridhar Sarathy, Chief Ethics Officer & Head Sustainability, CSR at Tata Capital Limited said, “With this initiative, we aim to create awareness around breast cancer & promote early cancer detection by providing quality screening facility at an affordable cost.”

Trustees of MOC Cancer Care Foundation said, “We are delighted to collaborate with SBI General Insurance & Tata Capital on this meaningful initiative aimed at early detection of cancer and saving lives; especially the under-served societies in smaller towns & remote villages who suffer the most due to lack of cancer awareness and the resources to undergo cancer screening.”

The partnership between SBI General Insurance, Tata Capital, and the MOC Cancer Care Foundation, as demonstrated through the Mobile Mammography Van initiative, exemplifies the potential of corporate social responsibility in addressing critical healthcare challenges and saving lives.