BS RAWAT
NEW DELHI: Appointment bookings for oncologists in Bengaluru grew by 44 per cent last year, while Mumbai and Delhi NCR saw an increase of 23 per cent and 19 per cent, respectively. Additionally, there has been a 94 per cent increase in the number of people searching about cancer on Practo as compared to last year, said Dr Alexander Kuruvilla, Chief Healthcare Strategy Officer, Practo, India’s leading digital healthcare platform.

He stated, “Our insights indicate that there’s an increased awareness among people regarding cancer and the need for timely medical assistance from a qualified specialist.”

Dr Kuruvilla said, “With digital, there’s more awareness and access to qualified specialists and facility to consult remotely, which serves as a lifeline, particularly to patients in rural and underserved areas.”

Dr Sandeep Nayak, Director, Department of Surgical Oncology, Fortis Cancer Institute, Bengaluru, said, “One of the important reasons is the increase in our aging population as life expectancy has increased. Today, people have better awareness of cancer, so they get diagnosed earlier. People are seeking online opinions as well as look for information online for the same.”

Dr Dhruv Kacker, Co-founder, Aarogya, claimed, “We have reached around 51,000 women across India and we believe that platforms like Practo will have the ability to help us extend our reach multi fold in the coming years.”