Improving access to cancer care among rural populations in India: Development of a validated tool for health system capacity assessment

Meritxell Mallafré-Larrosa, Arunah Chandran, Kunal Oswa et al

[Cancer Medicine]

How ready are rural health systems to fight cancer? The ACCI team created a new assessment tool to to evaluate health system capacity for delivering cancer services. By combining policy reviews, facility assessments, and stakeholder interviews, the tool helps identify gaps and guides equitable, sustainable cancer care planning.

Co-designing and evaluation of a context-appropriate strategy to improve access to early detection and care of oral, breast and cervical cancers in rural India: a formative phase implementation research protocol

Arunah Chandran, Ishu Kataria, Kunal Oswal et al

[ecancermedicalscience]

The ACCI project is piloting new, community-driven strategies to improve early detection of oral, breast, and cervical cancers in rural India. Through deep stakeholder engagement and real-world testing across three states, the study aims to build a scalable model of cancer care tailored to local needs and health system realities.

Barriers and contributions of rural community health workers in enabling cancer early detection and subsequent care in India: a qualitative study

Sathishrajaa Palaniraja, Katayoun Taghavi, Ishu Kataria et al

[BMC Public Health]

They may not wear lab coats, but India’s Community Health Workers are changing the future of cancer care in villages. This study amplifies their voices and reveals the challenges they navigate daily. The study calls for urgent action to empower CHWS with better tools, ongoing training, and stronger system support —transforming local trust into life-saving access to early cancer detection and care.