Vedanta’s BALCO Medical Centre expands technology access for early breast cancer detection

To mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Vedanta Group, India’s leading metals, oil & gas, critical minerals, power and technology conglomerate, has announced two partnerships aimed at strengthening early detection and care for breast cancer.

Through its flagship BALCO Medical Centre (BMC), one of India’s leading cancer care hospitals in Naya Raipur, Chhattisgarh, BMC has signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with The DEAR Foundation, a Switzerland-based non-profit organisation, and the Translational AI for Networked Universal Healthcare (TANUH) Foundation to advance innovative and tech-led approaches towards breast health, enable early identification, timely diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.

As part of its partnership with The DEAR Foundation, BMC will promote breast self-awareness among women in resource-constrained settings through Dear You, a free app offering step-by-step breast examination guidance in 11 languages, including Hindi, with reminders to encourage regular self-checks.

Additionally, BMC and the TANUH Foundation at IISc Bengaluru, an AI Centre of Excellence in Healthcare set up by the Ministry of Education, will develop an AI-enabled screening tool that assesses breast cancer risk and help identify women who may require further evaluation through mammography. BMC will support with clinical and mammography data while keeping patient confidentiality intact to develop screening model tailored to Indian women, with the aim of enabling earlier detection and more affordable screening.

With over 60% of breast cancer cases in India reportedly being diagnosed at Stage III or IV, the need for greater awareness and early detection is critical. Both these partnerships come at a crucial time as India fights its breast cancer battle. Today, it is the most diagnosed cancer among Indian women, yet many cases are still detected late.