Cachar Cancer Hospital

AFNA partners with Cachar Cancer Hospital & Research Center (CCH&RC - https://cacharcancerhospital.org/), one of our key collaborators in providing healthcare services. In recent years, AFNA has assisted CCH&RC by financing the purchase of crucial equipment that improves the speed and precision of testing and diagnosis. Prompt diagnostics and treatment are essential for cancer patients, and advanced diagnostic tools are integral to this process. Presently, CCH&RC aims to acquire more high-quality equipment, and AFNA is actively considering a proposal to support this dedicated organization.

In 2022, AFNA contributed to acquiring two new pieces of medical equipment at the Cachar Cancer Hospital, which provides free cancer care in southern Assam. These two devices, the Identification and Antibiotic Susceptibility System (ID-AST) Automated Blood Culture System, were obtained to expedite crucial diagnostics in their microbiology laboratory. The installation was completed in mid-2023. These machines have reduced the time required for processing culture and antibiotic sensitivity. This is vital for patients in the intensive care unit as it enables early management of cancer patients by initiating timely medical care compared to the previous conventional method where patients had to wait over 24 hours for results. The automated system helps reduce complications in patients.

According to a report from the hospital in early December 2023, out of 361 Blood Culture in Bact/Alert 3D tests, the hospital served over 340+ individuals (with some patients requesting a second culture report). In the ID/AST system (VITEK2 COMPACT), the hospital processed positive isolates from the previous machine, totaling 144 samples, and over 135+ patients benefited following installation.