Lok Sabha Question No. 4582 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-20
Subject: Cancer Menace
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Suresh Pujari

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4582 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20 TH MARCH, 2020

## CANCER MENACE

## 4582. SHRI SURESH PUJARI:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the cancer menace in the district of Bargarh in Odisha and if so, the magnitude of the problem as compared to other cancer prone areas of the country;
- (b) whether the States/UTs a re in touch with the Government about the menace and consultation betweenthem are in progress to address the problem and eradicate it, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government plans to take up the matter with the States/UTs to enquire the reasons for rise of cancer in the district and plan to provide modern treatment to the patients and research facilities to find the cause of the disease and take preventive measures to eradicate it; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and action taken ther eon?

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

(a): As  per  National  Cancer  Registry  Programme  of  Indian  Council  of  Medical  Research (ICMR), the estimated incidence of cancer cases in India and Odish during 2014 to 2018 is given below:

| Estimated incidence of cancer cases   | Estimated incidence of cancer cases   | Estimated incidence of cancer cases   |
|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
| Year                                  | India                                 | Odisha                                |
| 2014                                  | 13,28,229                             | 45,736                                |
| 2015                                  | 13,88,397                             | 47,666                                |
| 2016                                  | 14,51,417                             | 49,674                                |
| 2017                                  | 15,17,426                             | 51,763                                |
| 2018                                  | 15,86,571                             | 53,936                                |

Specific information about incidence of cancer in Bargarh is not available.

(b) to (d): Public H ealth and Hospitals is a State subject. The Central Government, howeve supplements the efforts of the State Governments. The objectives of National Pr gramme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS being  implemented  by  Central  Government  under  the    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 is on three cancers, namely breast, cervical and oral. A population level initiative for control  and  screening  for  comm on  Non- Communicable  Diseases (NCDs)  i.e.  diabetes, hypertension and common cancers viz. oral, breast and cervical cancer, has been rolled over 215 districts of the country, as a part of comprehensive primary healthcare. Scree common NCDs including three common cancers i.e. oral, breast and cervical is also an int part of service delivery under Ayushman Bharat - Health and Wellness Centres. To tackle the challenge of NCDs, including cancers, 616 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 and diagnostic services for and secondary health care needs.

To  enhance  the  facilities  for  t ertiary  care  of  cancer,  the  Central  Government  is 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.  Fur Oncology is also one of t he 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  In Kolkata, ar e also steps in the same direction.

Awareness  campaigns  on  common  risk  factors  for  NCDs,  including  cancer,  and  for promotion of healthy lifestyle are also carried out through print, electronic and soci Camps  for  awareness  generation  and  screeni ng  for  common  NCDs  including  cancer  are  also organized at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, during the India International Trade Fair each Indian  Council  of  Medical  Research  (ICMR) -National  Institute  of  Cancer  Prevention  and Research  (NICPR),  Noida,  has  la unched www.cancerindia.org with  the  theme  'India  Against Cancer', a portal that provides information on the leading cancers in India with a major focus on awareness, prevention and treatment of these cancers.

Cancer  is  a  multifactorial  disease,  the  risk  factor  of  which  interalia,  includ population,  sedentary  life  styles,  use  of  tobacco  products,  unhealthy  diet  and  air  p 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 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  familie s living  below  threshold  poverty  line  for  their treatment, including treatment of cancer, in Government hospitals.