Question : Special Package to States for Cancer Treatment

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has identified regions/zones, which are more susceptible to cancer and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether States prone to cancer including Punjab have sought special package from the Government so as to contain cancer cases, enhancement of research and treatment facilities and rehabilitation of cancer affected families, if so, the details thereof;

(c) the present status of such proposals from the States along with the action taken by the Government thereon, State-wise; and

(d) whether the Government plans to initiate new schemes for detection and treatment of cancer patients in the country and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)

(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 87* FOR 22ND JULY, 2016

(a) The estimates from National Cancer Registry Programme of Indian Council of Medical Research indicate some variance in the occurrence of cancer across different parts of the country. However, there appears no cancer prone zone in the country.
(b) & (c) Government of India is implementing “Tertiary Care for Cancer” Scheme to establish State Cancer Institutes (SCI) and Tertiary Care Cancer Centres (TCCC) in different parts of the country. SCI and TCCC shall mentor all Cancer related activities including research, treatment and palliative care, in their respective jurisdiction. Under the said scheme, 48 proposals have been received from 26 states and UTs including Punjab, which are listed at Annexure I. Out of these proposals, 17 proposals from 15 States- 9 for setting up of SCI and 8 for setting up of TCCCs have been approved and funds have been released during 2014-15,2015-16 and 2016-17 (Annexure II). The deficiencies in the other proposals have been communicated to the State Governments/Institutions.
In Punjab, the proposal for setting up of SCI at Government Medical College, Amritsar, has been approved and the 1st installment of Government of India share amounting to Rs. 51.58 crore has been released to the State Government. Two more proposals have been received for setting up of TCCCs at District Hospital, Fazilka and District Hospital, Hoshiarpur. The deficiencies therein have been communicated to the concerned State Government/Institutions.
(d): Central Government supplements the efforts of the State Government for improving healthcare including prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Cancer. The objectives of National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) being implemented under National Health Mission (NHM) for interventions upto the district level, inter alia, include awareness generation for Cancer prevention, screening, early detection and referral to an appropriate level institution for treatment. The focus is on three types of Cancer, namely breast, cervical and oral Cancer.
The treatment for cancer in Government Hospitals is either free or subsidized. In addition to Cancer diagnosis and treatment by the State Governments Health Institutes, many Central Government Institutions also provide facilities for diagnosis and treatment of Cancer.
Oncology in its various aspects has focus in case of new AIIMS and many upgraded institutions under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna (PMSSY). Setting up of National Cancer Institute at Jhajjar (Haryana) and 2nd campus of Chittranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, has also been approved.
Operational Guidelines on Prevention, Screening & Control of Common Non Communicable Diseases: Hypertension, Diabetes and Common Cancers (Oral, Breast and Cervix) have also been released on 22nd June 2016 and the State Governments have been requested for their implementation. The guidelines provide for population wide screening of common cancers viz. breast, cervical and oral Cancer.