MUMBAI, June 28 -- The Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) has introduced a virtual master's course to train healthcare workers as oncology patient navigators, a new role aimed at helping cancer patients navigate diagnosis, treatment and follow-up while improving coordination with doctors. The first batch of 73 participants, which included 49 medical officers from the National Health Mission (NHM) Maharashtra and 24 from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), graduated on June 6. "For the doctors, a navigator would be a representative of the patient and for the patient, he would be a representative of the doctors," said Dr R.A. Badwe, honorary professor emeritus, Tata Memorial Hospital. The initiative seeks to create trained professionals who can support patients through the often complex cancer care process, particularly those who travel for treatment and face language, cultural or financial barriers. TMC said the need for such professionals is expected to grow as India's cancer burden rises. "Currently, India has 110 cases per lakh population in urban areas, while the figure is 45 patients per lakh population in rural India. While 40% of cancers in India are attributed to tobacco, another 20% to infections, and another 20% to obesity, with rapid urbanization means the number of cancer patients will increase, raising concerns about the need to equip navigators," informed Dr Badwe. The one-year virtual master's course is offered through the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and is currently open to nominees from partner organisations. TMC said it has also trained healthcare professionals from Indonesia under the initiative....