Shillong, Mar 23: Dr. Worthing Yanglem from the Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH), Shillong, was recently honoured with the best paper (poster) award at the 70th annual national conference of the Indian Public Health Association (IPHA).
The event took place from March 13–15, 2026, at Katuri Medical College and Hospital in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.
The award-winning poster, titled ‘Self-help groups as platforms for cancer prevention: evidence from a quasi-experimental study in rural Meghalaya, India,’ was co-authored with Dr. Melari Shisha Nongrum and Dr. Eliza Dutta from IIPH Shillong.
The focus of the study was to evaluate the impact of self-help group (SHG)-led interventions in 10 villages within the Ri Bhoi district, which reached a total of 634 participants.
The groundbreaking study highlighted how community-driven events can effectively boost cancer awareness, reduce stigma, and promote critical health behaviours such as breast self-exams and tobacco cessation. The research illustrates that self-help groups can serve as a powerful model for rural health initiatives, offering a roadmap for enhancing public health outcomes in Northeast India and beyond.
Dr. Yanglem’s research not only adds to the academic discourse on public health but also paves the way for innovative approaches to health challenges in rural areas. The evidence presented underscores the potential of self-help groups as a viable strategy in the fight against cancer, marking an important step towards healthier communities.
