Lok Sabha Question No. 4139 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-01-04
Subject: Shortage of Cancer Specialists
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: SIRAJUDDIN AJMAL

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4139 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04 TH JANUARY, 2019

## SHORTAGE OF CANCER S PECIALISTS

## 4139. SHRI SIRAJUDDIN AJMAL:

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

- (a)whetherthere is shortage of cancer specialists and diagnostic/treatment f cili ies for effective management of cancer cases in the country;
- (b) if so, the schemes/programmes beingimplemented by the Government for the prevention of cancer, State/UTs wise; and
- (c) whether cancer survival rate in India is among the lowest in the world and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor?

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

- (a) &(b): Cancer is being diagnosed and treated at various levels in the Government he care system. While doctors with D. M. (Medical Oncology), M.Ch (Surgical Oncology) an M.D. (Radiation Oncology) treat Cancer patients in higher level tertiary care hospitals , Cancer is also being treated in hospitals by other Doctors such as General Surgeons, Gynecol ENT Surgeons etc., depending on the type and site of Cancer.

To increase the number of seats in Super speciality course in Medical Oncolo Surgical  On cology,  Anesthesiology  and  broad  speciality  course  in  Radiotherapy,  the  rati number of Post - Graduate (PG) teachers to the number of students to be admitted has been no increased to 1:3 for a Professor subject to a maximum of 6 PG seats per unit per ac ademic year. Further  the  ratio  of  teachers  to  students  has  been  revised  from  1:1  to  1:2  for  all disciplines. DNB qualification has been recognized for appointment as faculty to take shortage of faculty.

To  support  the  States/UTs  for  interve ntions  upto  district  level,  the  Government  of India  is  implementing  National  Programme  for  Prevention  and  Control  of  Cancer,  Diabet Cardiovascular  Diseases  and  Stroke  (NPCDCS)  under  National  Health  Mission  (NHM).  The focus under the programme is on thre e common cancers (oral, breast and cervical).

In  addition,  population  based  prevention,  control,  screening  and  management hypertension, diabetes and common cancers (oral, breast and cervical) is also being imple in more than 200 districts under NHM.

The  Government  of  India  is  implementing  'Strengthening  of  Tertiary  Care  Cancer facilities' Scheme under NPCDCS to assist to establish/set up State Cancer Institutes (SCI) and Tertiary Care Cancer Centres (TCCC) in different parts of the country . Oncology in its various aspects has focus in case of new AIIMS and many upgraded institutions under Pradhan Man Swasthya SurakshaYojna (PMSSY). Setting up of National Cancer Institute at Jhajjar (Harya and 2nd campus of Chittranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata has also been approved. All these will enhance the capacity for prevention and treatment of cancer in the country.

A NationalMultisectoral Action Plan has been developed in consultation with 39 Departments of Union Governmen t. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched Eat Right India movement to promote healthy diet. Print, electronic and social are used to promote healthy living and to generate awareness on risk factors of NCDs.

Tobacco  contro l  is  regulated  through  Cigarettes  and  Other  Tobacco  Products  Acts (COTPA)  and  National  Tobacco  Control  Programme  is  being  implemented  under  National Health Mission (NHM).

(c): The cancer survival rate is generally believed to depend upon amongst others, stage at diagnosis,  stage  of  initiation  of  treatment,  type  and  site  of  cancer,  correct  and treatment. Cancer can be diagnosed and treated at various levels in the Health care system

According  to  an  article  'Global  surveillance  of  trends  in  cance r  survival  2000 - 14 (CONCORD - 3): published in LANCET, there are differences in survival rates across count The study estimates 5 -year survival for breast cancer as 88.2% in Canada, 68.78% in Thailand 76.5 % in Poland and 66.1% in India.

However,  thecoverage  of  population  in  the  study  is  reported  to  vary  from  high coverage in European Countries while it is reported to cover about 0.1 % of population i The study has indicated various reasons for variations in survival rate of cancer. The s y also impress  upon  the  need  of  Population  Based  Cancer  Registries  (PBCRs)  to  evaluate  both impact of cancer prevention strategies and the effectiveness of health systems for all diagnosed with cancer.