Hello, my name is Ramya Kancharla, and I work with the Global Coordination Mechanism on Noncommunicable Diseases (GCM/NCD) at the World Health Organization. My work focuses on engaging civil society, people with lived experience and other non-State actors in the NCD response.
I have helped coordinate this collaboration between HIFA and WHO’s Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative [www.hifa.org/cervicalcancer], as access to reliable information is central to whether women seek screening and treatment. I am also pursuing doctoral research at the University of Bath on stigma around cervical cancer.
I am especially interested in learning how stigma and misinformation shape people’s decisions about cervical cancer screening and treatment, and how civil society organisations and community health workers can address or have addressed them in different settings.
HIFA profile: Ramya Kancharla has been working with the WHO Global Coordination Mechanism on Noncommunicable Diseases (GCM/NCD) since September 2023. Her work focuses on partner engagement and coordination with civil society organizations. Her professional background spans noncommunicable diseases, mental health, and reproductive health in global health settings, with particular experience in multi-stakeholder engagement and civil society partnerships. She is currently completing a Professional Doctorate in Health at the University of Bath. kancharlar AT who.int https://www.hifa.org/support/members/ramya