RGCIRC and Coloplast India sign MoU to establish Centre of Excellence for Ostomy Care

Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre (RGCIRC), one of India’s authorities in cancer care and research, has taken another important step in advancing the country’s defense against cancer. The Institute has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Coloplast India (the India arm of Coloplast, a global leader in medical equipment and technology manufacturing headquartered in Humlebæk, Denmark), to establish a Centre of Excellence for Ostomy Care, aimed at strengthening specialised nursing capabilities and improving standards of stoma care.

The Centre of Excellence will run the ‘Advanced Stoma Certification Training Programme’, a structured, institution-based training initiative designed to equip nurses with advanced knowledge and practical skills in stoma care. The programme will focus on building greater consistency in clinical practice and strengthening the quality of support available to patients living with a stoma.

Stomas may be required following surgical procedures for colorectal, bladder and abdominal cancers, where an artificial opening is created for intestinal or urinary diversion. For patients, adapting to a stoma can involve significant physical and lifestyle changes, making specialised nursing support an important part of post-operative care and rehabilitation.

Through the partnership, RGCIRC and Coloplast India aim to strengthen nursing competencies across critical aspects of ostomy care, including pre-operative counselling, stoma-site marking, post-operative management and long-term rehabilitation.

A key focus of the Centre will be the standardisation of ostomy-care protocols through uniform, evidence-based practices. Nurses undergoing the programme will receive hands-on training in stoma management and will be assessed against defined competency standards. The initiative will also seek to embed advanced stoma-care practices into routine nursing workflows.

The initiative is also expected to strengthen clinical capabilities related to prevention and management of post-operative complications, protection of peristomal skin and continuity of care after discharge.