Lok Sabha Question No. 4499 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-20
Subject: Anti Cancer Drive
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Sarmistha Sethi

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4499 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20 TH MARCH, 2020

## ANTI CANCER DRIVE

## 4499. SHRIMATI SARMISTHA SETHI:

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

- (a) whether cancer related deaths have recently increased in India, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether Government has any proposal to prioritise anti - cancer drive, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to curb cancer related deaths in India;
- (d) whether Government has the budgetary provision for anti - cancer drive during the FY 2020 -21; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) : As  per  National  Cancer  Registry  Programme  (NCRP)  of  Indian  Council  of  Medical Research (ICMR), the estimated number of mortality of cancer cases  reporte d in the country during the last three years is given below:

| Year                          | 2017           | 2018     | 2019     |
|-------------------------------|----------------|----------|----------|
| Estimated Mortality of cancer | cases 7,66,348 | 8,01,374 | 8,38,065 |

(b) to (e) : Public H ealth and Hospitals is a State subject. The Central Government however supplements the efforts of the State Governments. The objectives of National Programme Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS being  impl emented  by  Central  Government  under  the    National  Health  Mission  (NHM)  for interventions  upto  the  district  level,  includes  awareness  generation  for  cancer  pre screening,  early  detection  and  referral  to  an  appropriate  level  institution  for  trea .  For cancer, the focus is on three common cancers, namely breast, cervical and oral.  A pop 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  over  215  districts  of  the  country,  as  a  part  of  comprehensive healthcare. Screening of common NCDs including three common cancers i.e. oral, breast cervical  is  also  an  integral  part  of  service delivery  under  Ayushman  Bharat - Health  and Wellness  Centres. Population  based  screening  helps  in  mass  awareness  generation  about  ris factors and early detection of NCDs including common cancers.

To tackle the challenge of NCDs, including cancers, 6 16 NCD Clinics at District level and 3,827 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 diagnostic services for primary and secondary healt h care needs.

To  enhance  the  facilities  for  tertiary  care  of  cancer,  the  Central  Governme implementing Strengthening of Tertiary Care for Cancer Scheme, under which setting up of 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 institut 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  syste In Government hospitals, treatment is either free or highly subsidized. Treatment of cancers 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 203 Institutions/Hospitals with an objective to make available drugs and i at  discounted  prices  to  the  patients.  Under  the  umbrella  scheme  of  Rashtriya  Arogya  N financial  assistance  is  provided  to  families living  below  threshold  poverty  line  for  their treatment, including treatment of cancer, in Government hospitals.

For  undertaking  IEC  activities  on  NCDs  including  cancers,  support  is  provided States/UTs  @  50 - 70  lakh  at  the  State  level  and  @  Rs.  3  to  5 lakh  per  District.  Awareness campaigns on common risk factors for NCDs, including cancer, and for promotion of heal lifestyle are also carried out through print, electronic and social media. Camps for a generation and screening for common NCDs i ncluding common cancers are organized at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, during the India International Trade Fair each year. Special campaign organized on the occasion of National Cancer Awareness Day and World Cancer Day. India Council  of  Medical  Resear ch  (ICMR)- National  Institute  of  Cancer  Prevention  and  Research (NICPR), Noida, has launched www.cancerindia.org with the theme 'India Against Cancer', a portal that provides information on the leading cancers in I ndia with a major focus on awareness, prevention and treatment of these cancers.