Patient centricity is at the heart of Pfizer. In our efforts to ease the treatment journey of patients and their caregivers, we have realised that they experience financial, clinical, and psychological challenges—without much support. 

To share their burden and assist them meaningfully at this critical, challenging, and confusing time, Pfizer India and Doctors for You have launched Project Aastha, a cancer support initiative for patients in need across the country. After all, a problem shared is a problem halved. 

Helping hands

Project Aastha is a physical helpdesk project to provide robust support to cancer patients.

The project has five major objectives:

1. Establishment of physical helpdesk at select cancer hospitals.  
2. Improving patients’ care during treatment through non-medical assistance and navigation support. 
3. Linking patients with various government schemes.
4. Guidance and linkages to apply for financial support to trusts or individual donors.
5. Emotional support and counselling to patients and caregivers.

• Registration 
• Travel booking information and support
• Local accommodation guidance and linkages
• Dietary advice between and after chemotherapy 
• Emotional and mental health counselling over a helpline or in-person
• Inter and intra-hospital shifting and wheelchair management 
• Referral of cancer patients to other field specialists for non-cancer-related medical issues, and follow-ups with registered patients

The impact

While in the past patients and their caregivers have had to face issues of lack of adequate medical infrastructure, skilled manpower to assist the treatment of diseases, and minimal awareness and knowledge about cancer prevention and care, the situation has changed. Patients who also struggled to navigate through their gap in knowledge about the disease now have assistance.

Since its launch in late 2021, Project Aastha has assisted over six lakh patients in six hospitals around the country: Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai; B. Baruah Hospital, Guwahati; Homi Bhabha Hospital, Varanasi; Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna; Regional Cancer Center, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Medical College, Raipur; and The Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute, Ahmedabad. 

With a focus on health as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility, Pfizer aims to bring about sustainable solutions to health challenges of the present and the future.