Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the rate of cancer among women has increased, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government has conducted a study in this regard to ascertain the reasons for the increase in cancer cases amongst women, if so, the details thereof;
(c) the steps taken by the Government to prevent cancer among women; and
(d) the initiatives taken by the Government in order to make cancer treatment more affordable?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) & (b): As per the Indian Council of Medical Research’s Cancer Registry data Report on “National Registry Program report, 2020” the estimated number of incidence of cancer cases is increasing among women in the country.
The estimated incidence of cancer cases reported in the country during 2018-2020 is give below:
Estimated cancer cases in India (2018-2020) - Females
Year 2018 2019 2020
Estimated Incidence of Cancer cases 677627 695072 712758
Cancer is a multifactorial disease, the risk factors of which interalia, include ageing population, sedentary life styles, use of tobacco products, unhealthy diet and air pollution.
(c) & (d): Health is a State subject and the Central Government supplements the efforts of the State Governments in preventing and controlling cancer. The objectives of National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS), being implemented by Central Government under National Health Mission (NHM) for interventions upto the district level, includes awareness generation for cancer prevention, screening, early detection and referral to an appropriate level institution for treatment. For cancer the focus is on three cancers, namely breast, cervical and oral. A population level initiative for prevention, control and screening for common Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) i.e. diabetes, hypertension and common cancers viz. oral, breast and cervical cancer, has been rolled out in 682 districts of the country under NHM, as a part of comprehensive primary healthcare. Under this initiative, persons more than 30 years of age are targeted for their screening for common NCDs. Screening of common NCDs including three common cancers i.e. oral, breast and cervical is also an integral part of service delivery under Ayushman Bharat - Health and Wellness Centres. Under NPCDCS, Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA) is used as the screening tool for cervical cancer.
To tackle the challenge of NCDs, including cancers, 638 NCD Clinics at District level and 4464 NCD Clinics at Community Health Centre level have been set up under NPCDCS. Under NHM, support is provided to States/UTs to provide free essential medicines and diagnostic services for primary and secondary health care needs.
To enhance the facilities for tertiary care of cancer, the Central Government is implementing Strengthening of Tertiary Care for Cancer Scheme, under which setting up of 19 State Cancer Institutes and 20 Tertiary Care Cancer Centres have been approved. Further, Oncology is also one of the focus areas in case of new AIIMS and many upgraded institutions under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). Setting up of National Cancer Institute at Jhajjar in Haryana and strengthening of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, are also steps in the same direction.
Cancer is diagnosed and treated at various levels in the health care system. In Government hospitals, treatment is either free or highly subsidized. Treatment of cancers is also available under Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY). Besides this, Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) Deendayal outlets have been opened at various Institutions/Hospitals with an objective to make available drugs and implants at discounted prices to the patients. Under the umbrella scheme of Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi, financial assistance is provided to families living below threshold poverty line for their treatment, including treatment of cancer, in Government hospitals.