PM’s address at Cancer Institute, Adyar, Chennai

Governor of Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu My Ministerial colleagues Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Other distinguished dignitaries on the dais Ladies and Gentlemen On the upcoming occasion of the Vilambhi Tamil New Year on April 14th, I extend my warm greetings to all Tamil people across the world. I am happy to be at Cancer Institute, Adyar. This is one of the oldest and most significant comprehensive cancer care centers in India. Changing lifestyles are adding to the burden of non-communicable diseases.According to some estimates, non-communicable diseases now account for about sixty percent of total deaths in our country. The Union Government has planned the setting up of 20 State Cancer Institutes and 50 Tertiary Care Cancer Centres in different parts of the country.Proposals can be approved, for eligible institutions, upto Rs. 45 crore for setting up of Tertiary Care Cancer Centre and upto Rs. 120 crore for setting up of State Cancer Institute. I am happy to note that proposals for setting up of 15 State Cancer Institutes and 20 Tertiary Care Cancer Centres have been approved so far.14 new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences are being set up, with focus on oncology in its various aspects. Under Pradhan MantriSwasthya Suraksha Yojana,8existing institutions are being upgraded with provision of oncology services.The National Health Policy of 2017 under-lines the importance of preventive healthcare. Under the Comprehensive Primary Health Care aspect of Ayushman Bharat, we will provide preventive and curative services at primary care level to people near their homes. We have initiated Population-based Prevention, Control, Screening and Management of common non-communicable diseases such as Diabetes, Hyper-tension and Common Cancers. Ayushman Bharat also includes the Pradhan Mantri National Health Protection Mission. This will cover over ten crore families.Approximately 50 crore people will be benefited through this mission. Insurance coverage upto 5 lakh rupees per family, per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization will be provided under this mission. This will be the world’s largest government funded health care programme. The benefits of the scheme will be portable across the country.People will be able to get benefits in both public and empanelled private facilities.The scheme intends to reduce out of pocket expenditure on health. To prevent, control and manage diseases like cancer we need action from all sections of society including NGOs and private sector. The Cancer Institute W.I.A. Chennai is a voluntary charitable institution, founded by a group voluntary women social workers under the inspiring leadership of the late Dr.Muthulaxmi Reddy. This institute started as a small cottage hospital. It was the first cancer specialty hospital in South India and the second in the country.Today, the Institute has a Cancer Hospital with 500 beds. I am informed that 30 percent of these beds are free beds, which means patients are not charged. The molecular oncology department of the institute was designated a “Centre of Excellence” in 2007 by the Union Government. It was the first super specialty college in India established in 1984.These are pioneering, and praise-worthy achievements. Dr. Shantha, in her opening speech spoke about some of the difficulties being faced by the Institute. I would like to assure her that we would look into them and I would also request the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to see what can be done.Lastly, let me turn for a while, to an issue that has been raised by certain vested interests over the last few days. A baseless allegation is being made, about the Terms of Reference of the 15th Finance Commission, being biased against certain states, or a particular region. Let me tell you something, that our critics seem to have missed.The Union Government has suggested to the Finance Commission to consider incentivizing States who have worked on population control.By this yard-stick, a state like Tamil Nadu, which has devoted a lot of effort, energy and resources towards population control would certainly benefit.This was not the case earlier. Friends, The Union Government is committed to cooperative federalism. Our mantra is Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. Let us all work together to build a New India, which would make our great freedom fighters proud. Thank You. Thank you very much.