Taking a decisive step to bolster cancer screening and early diagnosis at the grassroots, the Punjab Government on Monday signed an MoU with YouWeCan Foundation — founded by former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh — to implement a comprehensive breast and oral cancer screening project in Patiala district.The MoU was formally signed in the presence of Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education and Research Minister Dr Balbir Singh, by Director, Health and Family Welfare, Dr Hitinder Kaur and YouWeCan Foundation Trustee Poonam Nanda.Reiterating the state government’s commitment to proactive health protection rather than reactive treatment, Dr Balbir Singh said the mission focuses on promoting routine check-ups and busting fears around screening.“Just as Yuvraj Singh led India to historic triumphs on the cricket field and defeated cancer through sheer grit, he is now leading from the front to champion early screening among our people,” Dr Balbir Singh said.“Cancer is entirely curable if caught early. Our goal is simple and clear: Punjab will catch cancer when it is curable, before it spreads. By bringing advanced, painless screening directly to people’s doorsteps, we want citizens to shed hesitation and prioritise regular self-care,” he added.Assuring complete financial protection to patients, Dr Balbir Singh said comprehensive cancer treatment is being provided free and cashless to eligible beneficiaries under the state’s flagship Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY).Under the 12-month joint initiative, the programme aims to screen 20,000 beneficiaries across Patiala district.This includes specialised breast cancer screening for 10,000 women using the ‘iBreastExam’ device — an innovative, non-invasive and radiation-free tool designed for accurate clinical assessment.In addition, clinical screening for oral cancer will be conducted for 10,000 men and women. The project also includes a robust referral mechanism to connect individuals with suspicious findings to tertiary health facilities for confirmatory diagnosis and prompt treatment.Commending the YouWeCan Foundation for joining hands with Health Department, Dr Balbir Singh noted that the foundation had previously delivered commendable results under its ‘Swasth Mahila, Swasth Bharat’ campaign, screening around 2,00,000 women nationwide, including about 14,000 women in Punjab’s Moga district.Building on that success, the targeted intervention in Patiala will raise community awareness, overcome screening hesitancy and establish a replicable public-private partnership model for cancer prevention across Punjab.On the occasion, Special Secretary, Health-cum-MD, National Health Mission (NHM), Sakshi Sawhney, MD, Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC), Gautam Jain, Assistant Director-cum-State Programme Officer (Non-Communicable Diseases), Dr Gagandeep Singh Grover, and Medical Officer Dr Ashu Gupta were present from the Health Department. Representing the YouWeCan Foundation, Senior Advisor Arvind Nanda, Senior Program Manager Dr Bhavika, and Senior Manager (Monitoring and Evaluation) Dr Divya were also present during the signing ceremony.