Lok Sabha Question No. 1890 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-29
Subject: Global Cancer Care Network
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Bidyut Baran Mahato, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Prataprao  Jadhav, Sudheer Gupta

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1890 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29 TH NOVEMBER, 2019

## GLOBAL CANCER CARE N ETWORK

1890. SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIV RAO MANDLIK:

SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

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

- (a) whether India has launched a global cancer care network to integrate hospi tals and cancer care institutes in cooperation with partner countries through National Cancer Grid (NCG) country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the aims and objectives of the said grid;
- (c) the steps taken/being taken by the Government for establishment of such grid;
- (d)  the  details  of  the  countries  which  have  shown  interest  in  NCG - Vishwam  and  the  way  in which these countries are likely to be benefited from it and vice - versa; and
- (e) the oth er steps taken by the Government for creating uniform standards of cancer care a the country to facilitate the patients suffering from the deadly disease?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR C HOUBEY)

- (a) and (b): India has launched Global Cancer Grid -'Vishwam Cancer Care Connect' which envisages integration of the hospitals and relevant cancer institutes from the partner with National Cancer Grid. The main objectives are to establish uniform standards of patient care  for  prevention,  diagnosis  and  treatment  of  cancer,  providing  specialized  traini education in oncology and facilitating collaborative basic, translational and clinical r cancer.  The  objective  is  also  to  off er  these  services  to  friendly  countries  which  include management of common cancers, second opinion on cancer care and capacity building throug Massive Open Online courses.
- (c):  Given  the  interest  shown  by  several  neighboring  countries  in  utilizing  the  e xpertise  of National  Cancer  Grid  (NCG)  in  areas  of  training  of  health  care  professional,  online opinion (Navya), registry development and access to low cost innovations like Bhabhatron Global Cancer Grid - Vishwam  Cancer  Care  Connect  has  been  ass isting  these  countries  in  all these areas. Till date following activities have been done:
- (i)  Training  provided  to  the  clinicians/observers/Nurses  from  Myanmar,  Bangladesh,  Qa Sub-Saharan region, Ethiopia, Oman, Sri Lanka, Africa.
- (ii) Bhabhatron -IImachines were provided to Vietnam, Zambia, Nigeria, Mongolia, Tanzania, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar and Uganda.
- (iii) Training provided to countries like Bhutan, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri lan Timor-Leste in the establishment of registry, ana lysis of data and preparation of reports.
- (iv) A significant proportion of patients from neighboring countries have benefitted thr Navya online opinion in last few years.
- (d): Several Countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates, Jamaica, Vietnam, Kenya,  Zambia,  Nepal,  Afghanistan,  Myanmar,  Kazakhstan,  Russia  and  Ghana,  have  shown interest  in  this  initiative.  Global  Cancer  Grid  will  extend  the  benefits  through  the treatment  guidelines,  virtual  tumour  board  to  facilitate  m ult disciplinary  care,  online  second opinion  services,  massive  online  learning  course  access  for  the  physicians,  paramedic nursing staff.

(e): NCG has developed resource stratified guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of co cancers to ensure uniform care, to facilitate delivery of standard therapy to all the patien to  their  homes.  Indian  Council  of  Medical  Research  (ICMR)  has  also  prepared  consens document for the management of several types of cancers, to aid uniform standard of ca ncer care across the country. Cancer Monograph and Standard treatment work flow for several condit including cancers has also been developed by ICMR.

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