ECHO Telementoring Boosts Early Detection And Improves Breast Cancer Survival Launch

Linda Agum Gumelar, Chair of YKPI. (photo: doc. ykpi)

JAKARTA - Marking the commemoration of World Cancer Day 2022, the Indonesian Breast Cancer Foundation (YKPI) and the Breast Cancer Care Community (KPKP) Tangerang Regency signed the ECHO (Extension of Community Healthcare Outcomes) telementoring pilot project cooperation.

This collaboration aims to increase efforts to detect breast cancer early through: This project is also supported by the Dharmais Cancer Hospital National Cancer Center which acts as a facilitator, Tangerang Hospital as a spoke hospital, and Roche Indonesia which is a partner of the global ECHO Project in Indonesia.

The signing of the Cooperation Agreement between the Indonesian Breast Cancer Foundation (YKPI) and the Breast Cancer Care Community (KPKP) of Tangerang Regency for the Implementation of the Pilot Project, carried out on Wednesday, February 16th.

This project also came up with the theme “Strengthening the Ability to Implement Early Detection of Breast Cancer in Health Workers, Cadres and Female Community in Tangerang Regency through Telementoring and Structured Training”.

The principle of the pilot project according to the reference from ECHO (Extension of Community Healthcare Outcomes) is to use technology to strengthen hard-to-reach resources. For example, through online facilities, teleconferencing, and video recording.

One of the objectives of this pilot project is to support the establishment of "Hub" and "Spoke" models for developing skills and capabilities of health cadres, use simple technology to educate target groups about awareness and early detection of breast cancer.

"In addition, it also strengthens cooperation with policymakers so that if a breast cancer case is found, it can be ensured that there is access to its management according to the patient's needs from an early stage", said Linda Agum Gumelar, Chair of YKPI, in a release received by VOI.

The target participants for the training in this pilot project are health workers, health cadres, and the Tangerang Regency KPKP community. The activity is located in Tangerang Regency, Banten Province, as SPOKE is the Breast Cancer Care Community of Tangerang District and Tangerang District Hospital.

While the HUB in this project is the Indonesian Breast Cancer Foundation and Dharmais Cancer Hospital, and as a resource person from the Dharmais Cancer Hospital (RSKD), and for Policy Makers is the Head of the Tangerang Regency Government. The health centers involved in the ECHO project are Curug Health Center and Kelapa Dua Health Center, Tangerang Regency.

This activity lasts for 1 year. Tangerang Regency was chosen because so far YKPI has collaborated with the Tangerang Regency PKK several times and the target location of the participants is not far from Jakarta. Tangerang Regency is the only Regency in Indonesia that cares so much about the problem of breast cancer prevention.

"On December 9, 2019, based on the Decree of the Regent, the Tangerang Regency Government officially formed the Tangerang Regency Breast Cancer Care Community", said Linda.

Based on data from the Tangerang Regency General Hospital, as a referral hospital at the Banten Province level, the number of breast cancer sufferers in this province is quite high. In 2019 alone, 4289 patients were treated, of which around 12% were new patients. "Most of these patients have advanced breast abnormalities (breast cancer) with very high morbidity and mortality rates", said Yuli Zaki Iskandar.

For this reason, continued Yuli Zaki Iskandar, who is also the Head of the Family Welfare Empowerment (PKK) Team of the Tangerang Regency, he wants to continue educating women in Tangerang about the importance of early detection if they feel that there is a problem or leads to breast cancer.

"We continue to provide understanding to the people of Tangerang Regency, especially the village PKK cadres, to detect the dangers of breast cancer early", said Yuli.