Lok Sabha Question No. 2659 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-17
Subject: Early detection and prevention of Cancer
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: PONGULETI SRINIVASA REDDY, GOKARAJU GANGA RAJU, RADHESHYAM BISWAS

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2659 TO BE ANSWERED ON 1 7 th MARCH, 2017

## EARLY DETECTION AND PREVENTION OF CANCER

## 2659. SHRI PONGULETI SRINIVASA REDDY: DR. GOKARAJU GANGA RAJU: SHRI RADHESHYAM BISWAS:

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

- (a) whether in the wake of precipitous rise in various types of cancer among men, women and children, the Government proposes to launch a ny nation - wide programme for the early detection and prevention of such diseases;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether there are certain regions in the country which are prone to cancer;
- (d) if so, the details thereof, State/UT - wise; and
- (e) the other corrective measures taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to check the spread of the dreadful disease especially for the poor?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SM T. ANUPRIYA PATEL )

(a)& (b): Central  Government  supplements  the  efforts  of  the  State  Government  for improving healthcare including prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Cancer. The objecti National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and  Stroke  (NPCDCS)  being  implemented  under  National  Health  Mission  (NHM)  for interventions upto district level include awareness generation for Cancer prevention, sc early detection and referral to an appropriate level institution for treatment. The focus is on thre types of cancer namely breast, cervical and oral cancer. A population level prevention, s and control programme for common NCDs such as Hypertension, Diabetes and Common Cancer viz. Breast, Ora l and Cervical is being implemented under NHM.

- (c)& (d): The estimates from National Cancer Registry Programme of Indian Council of Medical Research indicate some variance in the occurrence of cancer across different part country. However, there appears no cancer prone zone in the country.
- (e): The treatment of Ca ncer in many of State and Central Government institutions is free for BPL patients and subsidized for others. The Central Government supplements the efforts o State  Governments  to  prevent  and  control  cancer.  Some  of  the  steps  taken  by  Cent Government are as follows:
- I. To  enhance  th e  facilities  for  tertiary  care  of  cancer,  the  Central  Government implementing a Tertiary Care Cancer Centre Scheme to support the setting up of St Cancer Institutes (SCI) and Tertiary Care Cancer Centres (TCCC) in different parts country.
- II. Supporting Cancer care under new AIIMS and State Government Medical Colleges being upgraded under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna (PMSSY).
- III. Setting up of 2nd campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata and Nat Cancer Institute (NCI) , Jhajjar as part of second campus of AIIMS, New Delhi has been approved.
- IV. The Government is providing financial assistance to patients living below poverty li life  threatening  diseases  under  the  schemes  such  as  Rashtriya  Arogya  Nidhi  (RAN Health M inister's Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF), State Illness Assistance Fund (SIAF) and Health Minister's Discretionary Grant (HMDG).
- V. Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) outlets have bee opened  at  41  Institutions/Hospitals  with  an  ob jective  to  make  available  Cancer  and Cardiovascular  Diseases  drugs  and  implants  at  discounted  prices  to  the  patients Aushadhi stores are set up by Department of Pharmaceuticals to provide generic drug affordable prices.
- VI. The  list  of  medicines  spec ified  in  the  National  List  of  Essential  Medicines  (NLEM) which are included in the First Schedule of Drug Pricing Control Order (DPCO), 20 also contain drugs used for the treatment of Cancer for which ceiling prices have fixed.