Paediatric cancer treatment dropout is 1.77% at Tata Hosp

The paediatric cancer treatment dropout rate at Tata Memorial Hospital dropped from a staggering 25% in 2009 to just 1.77% in 2023.

- Somita Pal

Dr Shripad Banavali, director of academics at Tata Memorial Centre, credited this achievement to a holistic approach taken by the ImPaCCT Foundation at the hospital.

Every year, nearly 4,000 children register for cancer treatment at Tata Memorial's six centres across the country. Many families travel from remote areas, hoping to save their child. However, in 2009, 25% of these children abandoned treatment due to financial hardships and lack of resources like accommodation.

The launch of ImPaCCT (Improving Paediatric Cancer Care and Treatment) in 2010 changed this scenario. The foundation was established with the mission to ensure no child at Tata Memorial Hospital discontinues cancer treatment because of financial or logistical challenges. With support from donors, it provides everything from funding the treatment to counselling, accommodation, nutritional assistance and ensures continuity of care.