Tobacco MARSHAL Program Launched in Odisha to Combat Rising Tobacco Menace

Bhubaneswar | April 13, 2025

In a powerful move to combat the growing menace of tobacco addiction and oral cancer in Odisha, I CAN WIN Foundation, in collaboration with ICanCaRe and Gupta Distributors, launched the Tobacco MARSHAL Program in Bhubaneswar. The introductory session was held at the Hanspal office of Gupta Distributors, graciously hosted by Mr. Prerit Gupta, Director, and supported by Mr. Rajesh Gupta, Chairman, Gupta Group of Businesses.

Led by Dr. Pawan Gupta, Senior Director – Surgical Oncology at MAX Hospitals, Delhi NCR, and Founder of ICanCaRe, the session educated the audience on early signs of oral cancer—highlighting the campaign message: “Catch Cancer at Stage 0 with Chhota Daana.”


👥 Dignitaries and Key Participants

The session witnessed the enthusiastic participation of several prominent individuals:

  • Mr. Biswajit Patra, Businessman and Secretary Elect, Rotary Club Bhubaneswar, expressed commitment to partner with ICanCaRe to take the Tobacco MARSHAL initiative to grassroots through Rotary channels.
  • Mr. Prashanna Kumar Mishra, Advocate, Odisha Bar Association, proposed tobacco awareness camps at Cuttack High Court for members of the legal community.
  • Mr. Rakesh Barick, Secretary, SAI Sports Association & Manager at Panasonic Odisha, showed interest in organizing a mega awareness drive with a seating capacity of 1000.
  • Ms. Ipshita Sarkar, Psycho-oncologist, actively addressed psychological aspects of tobacco addiction and guided participants through mental health aspects of cessation.

🔬 Real Impact: From Awareness to Action

The event was not just informative but also action-oriented:

  • Three participants were screened and found with restricted mouth opening and lesions, who were immediately guided for further diagnosis and treatment.
  • The revolutionary device TrisCaRe was introduced as a vital solution for trismus management in oral cancer and pre-cancer cases.

Dr. Pawan emphasized the availability of structured medical treatment to help individuals quit tobacco and highlighted the digital quitline (📞 9773856664) and the ICanCaRe App-based Quit Program that provides behavioral and pharmacological support.


💬 Questions That Matter

One of the most relevant and heartfelt questions came from Mr. Prerit and Mr. Anis:
“How can one resist peer pressure when everyone in the friend circle uses tobacco and alcohol?”
Dr. Pawan’s response was direct and empowering:

“Motivation is the key—and the good news is that medical treatment is available to help quit tobacco. With proper support and medication for just 3 months, one can be free from cravings and withdrawal symptoms.”

Mr. Anis, inspired by the session, immediately scheduled a consultation to help his father begin the tobacco cessation journey.


🔗 Watch the Full Program Here

📺 YouTube Live – Gupta Distributors https://www.youtube.com/live/vhsUxES-aKA


🌱 The Beginning of a Movement in Odisha

The session ended on a hopeful note, with Mr. Rajesh Gupta committing full support to the #SaveTheYouth campaign in Odisha. Volunteers came forward to enroll as Tobacco MARSHALs and pledged to spread awareness in schools, offices, and communities.


📞 Call to Action

💬 Want to be a part of this movement?
🔗 Register as a Tobacco MARSHAL here: www.icancare.in/academy/marshal
📞 Helpline: 9773856664
📧 Email: support@icancare.com

Together, let’s kill the modern demon – Tambaku-Asur.
Let’s save lives. Let’s save our youth.


https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/introducing-tobacco-marshal-odisha-groundbreaking-step-towards-whdcc

Revolutionizing Oral Cancer Care: ICanCaRe’s Innovations at ODITELEMEDICON 2025

Dr. Pawan Gupta, Executive Committee Member of the Telemedicine Society of India (TSI) 2023–2025, had the honor of delivering a keynote address at the prestigious 13th ODITELEMEDICON 2025. This significant event was organized by the TSI Odisha Chapter in collaboration with the District Health Administration, Angul, on April 12, 2025, at the Black Diamond Complex, Angul, Odisha. The conference’s central theme, “Emerging Technologies Influencing Healthcare Services,” provided an excellent platform to explore innovative solutions in healthcare delivery.

In his compelling presentation, titled “NEWER MODALITIES of TELECARE in Oral Cancer – Indian Solution for Indian Problem”, Dr. Gupta addressed the critical need for accessible and scalable telecare solutions tailored specifically for oral cancer management in India’s rural and underserved regions.

Dr. Gupta highlighted pressing challenges in oral cancer care, including limited availability of skilled healthcare professionals, gaps in public awareness, insufficient follow-up for oral pre-malignant lesions (PML), and the absence of regional quitline services. To address these challenges, he showcased the pioneering telecare model developed by ICanCaRe, a holistic approach blending digital technology, community engagement, and advanced healthcare solutions.

Significant initiatives presented include:

  • The ICanCaRe digital platform facilitating tele-consultations, tobacco cessation programs, and comprehensive patient management.
  • AI-driven diagnostic tools for the early detection and accurate categorization of oral lesions, in partnership with prestigious institutions like IIT Delhi and RRCAT.
  • Adoption of non-invasive therapies such as Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) and Photobiomodulation (PBM) for effectively treating PML and recurrent oral cancers.
  • Introduction of the patented TrisCaRe mouth-opening device, an innovative solution for managing trismus caused by smokeless tobacco use.

Dr. Gupta shared powerful case studies demonstrating the remarkable success of ICanCaRe’s tobacco cessation programs, achieving significant lesion regression and dramatically improving patient outcomes. Additionally, he underscored the extensive training initiatives by the ICanCaRe Academy, which has successfully trained over 950 certified tobacco cessation experts nationwide, significantly enhancing local healthcare capacity.

Concluding his address, Dr. Gupta emphasized the need for robust collaboration among government agencies, NGOs, PSUs, and the private sector to create an integrated ecosystem. Leveraging telemedicine and advanced technology, this collaborative model aims to reduce the prevalence of oral cancer effectively and pave the way toward a Tobacco-Free Bharat.

📸 More highlights from the program here: ODITELEMEDICON 2025 Google Album

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/revolutionizing-oral-cancer-care-icancares-innovations-oditelemedicon-ojqnc

Suture Skill Lab 2.0 – Master Surgical Suturing and Energy Devices

Introduction

The Suture Skill Lab 2.0 – Master Surgical Suturing and Energy Devices was successfully conducted on March 9, 2025, at MAX Super Speciality Hospital, Vaishali. Organized by ICanCaRe Academy in collaboration with Ethicon, MIMES, and IDA East Delhi, the program aimed to provide hands-on training in essential suturing techniques and the use of energy devices in surgery. The course was attended by 82 doctors from various disciplines, eager to enhance their surgical proficiency.

Date of Cohort 2.0: March 9, 2025
Venue: Conference Hall, Service Floor, MAX Super Speciality Hospital, Vaishali

Program Overview

The course was meticulously designed to provide young surgeons, dental surgeons, gynecologists, ENT specialists, and general practitioners with essential skills in suturing, knot-tying, and the safe use of energy devices. The training involved expert-led demonstrations, interactive sessions, and supervised hands-on practice.

Faculty Contributions

The esteemed faculty members provided invaluable insights and demonstrations, ensuring a thorough learning experience. The faculty included:

Master Trainers & Convenors:

  • Dr. Pawan Gupta, M.Ch.
  • Dr. Manoj Johar, M.Ch.

Faculty Members:

  • Dr. Vivek Srivastava
  • Dr. Ankit Vishwani, M.Ch. (HN)
  • Dr. Amit Tyagi, M.Ch. (HN)
  • Dr. Kamlesh Kumar, M.Ch. (Plastic Surgery)
  • Dr. Asha Khushalani, M.Ch. (Plastic Surgery)
  • Dr. Aashwini Miglani, MDS (Periodontology)
  • Dr. Suman Yadav, MDS (OMFS)
  • Dr. Mayank Singhal, MDS (OMFS)
  • Dr. Chandresh Agrawal, MS (ENT)
  • Dr. Anshul Jain, MDS (OMFS)
  • Dr. Nimish Nimeya

Their collective expertise and dedication made the training exceptionally informative and impactful.

Coordinators and Representatives

Coordinators:

  • Dr. Rajiv Agrawal – IDA – East Delhi CDE
  • Dr. Deeksha Sharma, MDS (OMFS), Fellow HN
  • Dr. Sanchit Mahajan, MDS (OMFS), Fellow HN
  • Dr. Anu Singh, MDS (OMFS)
  • Dr. Minu Kumari, MDS (OMFS), Fellow HN
  • Dr. Shipra Sharma, MDS (OMFS), Fellow HN

Representatives:

  • ICanCaRe Academy: Dr. Pravesh Singh
  • Max Institute of Medical Excellence: Dr. Vanita Mittal
  • EISE Academy: Mr. Mohit Lodhi
  • Ethicon – Energy Devices: Ms. Priya Mishra
  • IDA East Delhi: Dr. Alok Bhisht (President), Dr. Geetika Sharma (Secretary)

Program Conduct and Participant Engagement

Dr. Suman Yadav conducted the program as Master of Ceremony, setting the tone for the event. She welcomed Dr. Pawan Gupta, Dr. Manoj Johar, and Dr. Vivek Srivastava as Convenors of the program and guided the sessions seamlessly.

The participants actively engaged in hands-on sessions and practiced various suturing techniques, knot-tying methods, and energy device applications. Under the guidance of the faculty, they performed:

  • Basic Suturing Techniques: Simple interrupted, continuous sutures, vertical & horizontal mattress sutures.
  • Advanced Suturing Techniques: Subcuticular suturing, hemostatic figure of eight, vessel transfixation.
  • Energy Device Hands-on Training: Ultrasonic, bipolar, and laser device applications for tissue dissection, hemostasis, and vessel sealing.

Feedback & Participant Response

Based on the feedback collected, the course was highly appreciated by the participants. Key highlights from feedback responses include:

  • Course Content & Structure: 100% rated the course as “Excellent” or “Good”.
  • Practical Sessions: 98% found the hands-on training “Very Effective” in enhancing their skills.
  • Faculty & Instruction: 97% rated the expertise of faculty as “Excellent”.
  • Facilities & Equipment: 96% were satisfied with the provided materials.
  • Impact on Future Practice: 100% stated that the knowledge gained would significantly benefit their clinical practice.
  • Recommendation: 100% participants stated they would recommend this course to their colleagues.

Want to participate in Suture Skill Lab Cohort 3.0? Join the Waitlist and we will notify you on first priority!

Certificate Distribution

Certificates were awarded to all participants, recognizing their successful completion of the training. The certificates were handed over by Dr. Pravesh Singh, representing ICanCaRe Academy and being the Guest of Honour, along with Dr. Pawan Gupta of MAXDr. Vivek Srivastava from Ethicon and Dr. Rajiv Agarwal and Dr. Nimish Nimeya of IDA East Delhi. Present for the same were Dr. Mayank Singhal, Dr. Chandresh Agarwal, Dr. Suman Yadav, Dr. Ankit Vishwani and Dr Asha Khushalani.

Key Appreciations & Suggestions

Participants expressed their gratitude for the well-structured sessions and expert guidance. Some quotes from participants include:

  • “An excellent course with well-planned practical demonstrations and expert faculty. Looking forward to more sessions!”
  • “Hands-on training was the best part! The faculty was very helpful in guiding us step by step.”
  • “A must-attend workshop for any clinician looking to improve their suturing skills!”

Conclusion & Future Recommendations

The Suture Skill Lab 2.0 was a resounding success, with participants gaining crucial surgical skills and confidence in suturing and energy device handling. Given the overwhelmingly positive response, ICanCaRe Academy plans to conduct an advanced-level Microvascular Suturing Course in the near future.

The success of this program is attributed to the dedication of our faculty, coordinators, representatives, organizers, and enthusiastic participants. A heartfelt thank you to Ethicon, MAX, IDA East Delhi, my colleagues in the department and all the participants everyone involved in making this event a grand success! My special thanks to Mr. Shazad and  Mr. Nikhil Vats who made all the arrangements for seamless conduct of the program. Last but not the least my colleagues Dr. Ankit Vishwani, Dr. Anu Singh, Dr. Deeksha, Dr. Sanchit, Dr. Digjeet helped streamline the entire program.   We look forward to continuing this journey of skill enhancement and surgical excellence.

Event Photos https://photos.app.goo.gl/qXiE1AgqfctYxmop6

Register for Suture Skill Lab Cohort 3.0: Join the Waitlist and we will notify you on first priority!

Organizing Team – ICanCaRe Academy For queries and future registrations: support@icancare.com | +91 9773856664

Dr. Pawan Gupta pawan@icancare.com 9811290152