Dr. Susovana: A Dedicated Oncologist raising Cancer Awareness in Kuwait

Thursday, February 20, 2025

A dedicated oncologist, Dr. Susovana has made it her life's mission to raise awareness about cancer prevention, not only among the expatriate community in Kuwait but also among Kuwaiti citizens. With unwavering passion and tireless efforts, she educates people on early detection, healthy lifestyle choices, and risk factors that contribute to the disease. Beyond her work at the Kuwait Cancer Centre (KCC), she organizes awareness campaigns, delivers informative talks, and advocates for proactive health screenings, empowering individuals to take charge of their well-being.

But there’s more to Dr. Susovana than just her medical career—she is also a well-known singer within the Indian community in Kuwait. Her relentless commitment to spreading knowledge and saving lives has made her a beacon of hope in the fight against cancer.

Dr. Susovana is a well-known figure in the community, seizing every opportunity to educate people about lifestyle changes and self-examination to prevent cancer. She may be the only doctor in Kuwait to have conducted the highest number of medical seminars for the benefit of the community.

In a casual chat with IndiansinKuwait.com, Dr. Susovana reflects on her journey and the ‘little’ contributions she makes toward safeguarding people against this dreaded disease.

Born to Bengali parents in Kolkata, Dr. Susovana spent her childhood in Ranchi, a renowned educational hub, where her parents had relocated. She later pursued her medical graduation at the Government Medical College, Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, then left for CMC Vellore for Internship and further to JIPMER Pondicherry and then completed Oncology from Adyar Cancer Institute Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

Growing up in a middle-class family, she chose a women’s college for pre-university studies because of its affordable fees—her father had retired from the railways by then. In class 11, she got an opportunity to participate in an essay competition, which was an open competition where other contestants were even final-year college students. She still remembers the topic for the contest which was 'Role and importance of present Youth towards national integration'. To her surprise, she won first prize and received the award from the then Chief Minister, Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav, in 1995. "That time our only time pass was reading 'Readers Digest' or 'Competition Success Review'," she recollects.

She was a topper in her college and later joined Ranchi Government Medical College for her medical studies. Following her internship at Vellore in Tamil Nadu, she pursued her postgraduate studies in oncology. "Those two years in Vellore were the best part of my life," she recalls, crediting her seniors for their support and guidance.

In June 2003, she married her childhood friend, Mr. Sujith Kumar, who is originally from Kerala but was her schoolmate in Ranchi. She later moved to Kuwait to join her husband, who is currently working as an engineer in a multinational company.

With her professional experience at Adyar Cancer Institute in Chennai, she was unsure about her career prospects in Kuwait. However, a chance meeting with another Indian oncologist, Dr. Murali Gopal, at Kuwait Cancer Centre changed her destiny. She soon joined KCC, marking the beginning of her community work to improve public health.

"When I joined KCCC, I found many ladies from affluent families coming with advanced diseases so I felt that awareness sessions can help the community getting diagnosed early," she shares. She quickly realized that a sedentary lifestyle was a major health risk in this region and began raising awareness at every opportunity.

"I am not doing much—I am simply fulfilling my responsibility as an oncologist," she humbly states. "Many people are unaware of cancer risks. We often like to think, ‘Nothing will happen to me,’ but cancer can affect anyone. Even if you're not a smoker or not an alcoholic, you may still be exposed to carcinogens through your work or diet. Our bodies can repair damage to some extent, but beyond a limit, it leads to disease."

Dr. Susovana stresses the importance of early detection. "Cancer itself doesn’t decide your death unless it spreads to other parts of the body organs. If detected early and confined to one organ, it can often be cured completely, significantly reducing the fear of recurrence and death. That’s why I step out of the oncology room—to encourage people to get checked and detect cancer in its early stages."
She urges individuals to listen to their bodies. "Our body gives us early warning signs. Any persistent pain or abnormal growth should be checked immediately."

Having specialized in breast cancer for the past 14 years, she makes it a priority to conduct individual check-ups for women attending awareness sessions. "Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide. For doctors, a patient is just a case, but for her family, she is a mother, wife, sister, or daughter. That space cannot be replaced in her family."

She emphasizes self-examination making it easier to detect abnormalities. "If there is no family history of breast cancer, women should get a baseline mammogram at 40-42 years and repeat it every year. If there is a family history, the first check-up should be at 30," she advises.

"In today's date, no one has an immunity against cancer though researchers are trying to come up with vaccination against cancer. With most of the cancers being multifactorial, vaccine production becomes difficult. However, once we identify our risk factors, we can closely monitor our health and detect cancer early."

She notes that awareness has improved over the years. "Many people now attend my sessions, ask questions, and seek guidance. But there are still those who avoid these discussions due to fear. This mindset needs to change."

Working as an oncologist in Kuwait is a blessing, Dr. Susovana acknowledges. "We have access to the latest medications and we can keep ourselves updated". Anybody who has a valid Civil ID has the right to access the KCC. Usually in Kuwait, any cancer-diagnosed patients will be referred to KCC. Except few targeted medications, the rest are free for any patient whether they are a citizen or an expatriate. But even for those special medications, there are many charity societies that provide financial assistance for deserving expatriates.

Her passion for community service is long-standing. She is an integral part of the Indian Doctors Forum (IDF), where she served in charge of community welfare for years and is now the Vice President. She actively participates in medical camps and personally follows up with patients requiring further investigation.

She also conducts anti-tobacco sessions in schools, warning students about the dangers of vaping. "You may not see the effects now, but excessive use will have serious consequences later," she cautions. She also gives sessions to school children and community groups on the Adverse effects of long usage of electronic gadgets on our physical and mental health.

In 2019, Dr. Susovana received the prestigious "She – The Change Nari Udhyami Award" from the Government of India at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. She was one of 27 women honoured from 173 countries for their exceptional community service. To this day, she doesn’t know who nominated her! The award was presented by the then Governor of Uttarakhand, Smt. Baby Rani Maurya, during the 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention in Varanasi.

Although a Bengali by birth, Dr. Susovana is fluent in Bengali, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, a bit of Odia, and even Arabic, which helps her connect with diverse communities.

Her eldest daughter is currently pursuing medicine at Trivandrum Medical College, while her younger daughters study at FAIPS DPS in Kuwait.

With her dedication to cancer awareness, medical service, and community welfare, Dr. Susovana continues to be a source of hope and healing—both inside and outside the hospital.

By:

IIK Staff Reporter

Disclaimer: Statements and opinions expressed in the article are those of the authors and written by them; the author is solely responsible for the content in this article. IndiansinKuwait.com does not hold any responsibility for them.

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Express your comments...


jyoti Monday, March 3, 2025 I have known Dr Susovana for a while, and I feel blessed. She is ''humility'' personified a superwoman who juggles between work, family and community work. A brilliant and compassionate human being. She is a true asset and blessing to the society. God bless!
Jitendra Chaudhary Thursday, February 27, 2025 A truly dedicated and exceptional human being, her relentless commitment and hard work serve as an inspiration to many. Her perseverance and passion uplift those around her, setting a shining example of determination and resilience. May she always be blessed with good health and happiness.
Anand Pillai Tuesday, February 25, 2025 A heartfelt salute to Dr. Susovana Sujith Nair and her husband for their incredible contributions to the society.
Henriqueta Tuesday, February 25, 2025 She is very dedicated and helpful. She is just the best doctor I have ever come across. God bless her works and her family too.
Renu Monday, February 24, 2025 A brilliant , compassionate and caring doctor and very helpful to all her patients . She is vice president of indian doctors forum and involved in community service for years . We have immense respect for her and her family . Her Family has highest human values , very honest , sincere , devoted and very talented . God bless her and her family

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