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2023 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Dr. R., Ravi Kannan Shares Blueprint for Accessible Cancer Care with Healthcare Experts

  • Nina Sherizze de Sagun
  • Oct 7
  • 3 min read
Bayanihan in action. Key organizations such as the Unilab Education, Unilab Foundation, Ritemed, St. Luke's Medical Center Health Equity and Research (SLMC-HERE) Foundation, Ramon Magsaysay Foundation and the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) joined governors and health policy leaders to listen to Ramon Magsaysay Laureate Dr. R., Ravi Kannan as he shares his share his award-winning healthcare initiative in Assam.
Bayanihan in action. Key organizations such as the Unilab Education, Unilab Foundation, Ritemed, St. Luke's Medical Center Health Equity and Research (SLMC-HERE) Foundation, Ramon Magsaysay Foundation and the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) joined governors and health policy leaders to listen to Ramon Magsaysay Laureate Dr. R., Ravi Kannan as he shares his share his award-winning healthcare initiative in Assam.

Indian surgical oncologist and Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Dr. Ravi Kannan R. visited Unilab Inc. recently to discuss his pioneering efforts in making cancer treatment accessible to the poor, a model with potential implications for community health policy improvements. 


Dr. Kannan, the 65th Ramon Magsaysay Awardee, met with Unilab Foundation Executive Director Atty. Jose Maria Ochave, former Department of Health Secretary Dr. Enrique Ona, and other key figures from the healthcare sector. The meeting, which also included Ramon Magsaysay Foundation Executive Director Susan Bautista-Afan, served as a collaborative forum on leveraging community-focused strategies to support Universal Health Care (UHC) goals.  


Dr. R., Ravi Kannan received the 2023 Ramon Magsaysay Award for revolutionizing healthcare in a small community in Assam. Kannan, a successful urban doctor, moved to Cachar to dedicate himself to providing "pro-poor" healthcare in the area. (Photo from Cachar Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (CCHRC) website).
Dr. R., Ravi Kannan received the 2023 Ramon Magsaysay Award for revolutionizing healthcare in a small community in Assam. Kannan, a successful urban doctor, moved to Cachar to dedicate himself to providing "pro-poor" healthcare in the area. (Photo from Cachar Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (CCHRC) website).
Dr. R., Ravi Kannan during his speech after receiving the 2023 Ramon Magsaysay Award where he reiterated the call for equal and quality healthcare.
Dr. R., Ravi Kannan during his speech after receiving the 2023 Ramon Magsaysay Award where he reiterated the call for equal and quality healthcare.

Revolutionizing Cancer Care in Rural India 

Dr. Kannan, who heads the Cachar Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (CCHRC) in Assam, India, detailed the institutional measures that earned him the 2023 accolade. Since becoming the hospital director in 2007, he and his team adopted a range of "pro-poor" strategies to provide healthcare to the poverty-stricken population. 


These initiatives included removing hidden charges and implementing cost-reduction strategies to make treatment affordable, building trust by adopting a simple, non-intimidating approach in their interactions with patients, and establishing institutional measures to ensure patient follow-through, such as individual patient calls, home visits, and reducing waiting times. 


A photo of Dr. Kannan with a patient in Cachar, taken by Satadal Paul Choudury of the Indian news magazine, "The Week".
A photo of Dr. Kannan with a patient in Cachar, taken by Satadal Paul Choudury of the Indian news magazine, "The Week".

These measures significantly increased patient compliance, from 28% to 70%. Currently, CCHRC provides free or subsidized cancer treatment to nearly 75% of its patients and has grown from 23 to over 451 medical staff. 


"We may not be able to do everything, but we can aid, and assist, and help people to help them adapt. Together, we can achieve a lot more,” Dr. Kannan said during his presentation.  


He emphasized his ongoing mission to decentralize and bring quality cancer care as close to communities as possible. 


Dr. Kannan shares his experiences to an audience of healthcare experts from the public and private sectors and from civic organizations.
Dr. Kannan shares his experiences to an audience of healthcare experts from the public and private sectors and from civic organizations.

Expanding the Discussion on Health Access 

The discussion broadened to include palliative care, with Dr. Rumalie Corvera, President of HospicePH and head of the Ruth Foundation, sharing the organization’s work in providing free hospice and palliative care. 


The meeting aligns with the core function of the Unilab Center for Health Policy (UCHP), a key pillar of the Unilab Foundation. The UCHP acts as a platform for an evidence-based policy laboratory aimed at strengthening UHC through pilot projects and expertise-driven health service delivery models. 


Dr. Kannan, joined by his wife, Seetha Lakshmi Kannan who also shared their life-changing decision of moving to Silchar, Cachar, in 2007 where Dr. Kannan served as the hospital director and provided care to cancer patients in the district.
Dr. Kannan, joined by his wife, Seetha Lakshmi Kannan who also shared their life-changing decision of moving to Silchar, Cachar, in 2007 where Dr. Kannan served as the hospital director and provided care to cancer patients in the district.

Unilab Education, Ritemed, St. Luke's Medical Center Health Equity and Research (SLMC-HERE) Foundation, and the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) also joined the discussion to ideate efforts in crafting interventions and policies to train community members in palliative healthcare. The high-level attendance underscores the commitment of various stakeholders to improving health policies, with attendees including Romblon Province Governor Trina Firmalo-Fabic and UCHP Advisory Council Member Dr. Minerva Calimag, ZFF Executive Director Austere Panadero, SLMC-HERE Dr. Antonio Dans, alongside Unilab Education Chief Operating Officer Dr. Noel Cortez and Ritemed Operating Vice President Violi Remo. 


 




 
 
 

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