Parliament Question: Early detection and timely treatment of life-threatening diseases

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE RAJYASABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 1257 TOBE ANSWERED ON10th FEBRUARY,2026 EARLYDETECTIONANDTIMELYTREATMENTOFLIFE-THREATENING DISEASES 1257SHRISANTBALBIR SINGH Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE be pleasedtostate: (a)whether anysteps have beentaken todetectlife-threateningdiseases like cancerat an earlystage, especially amongvulnerable andpoor populations, if so, the detailsthereof, if not,the reasons therefor; (b) whether Government andprivate hospitals are instructed toimmediatelyinitiate testing andgovernment-supported treatment for patientsfrom economicallyweakersections on observing earlysymptoms, if so, the details thereof,if not,the reasons therefor; and (c)the measures inplace toensure timelytreatmentandfollow-up care,so that survival ratesimprove? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATEIN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE (SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV) (a) The Department of Health and Family Welfare, under National Health Mission (NHM), provides technical and financial support to States/UTs for the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD). The program strengthens infrastructure, human resources, early diagnosis, referral, treatment, and health promotion for NCDs, including cancer. Under NP-NCD, 770 District NCD Clinics, 233 Cardiac Care Units, 364District Day Care Centres, and6,410NCD clinicsat CHCs have beenset up. Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) conduct risk assessments for individuals aged 30+ using the Community-Based Assessment Checklist (CBAC), referring high-risk cases for screening. A population-based initiative for screening, management, and prevention of NCDs, including cancer, is part of Comprehensive Primary Health Care under NHM.Under the initiative, persons more than 30 years of age are targeted for their screening for NCDs including three common cancers. Screening of these common cancers is an integral part of service delivery at Ayushman Arogya Mandir Prevention and screening services are delivered through trained health professionals. (b) & (c) The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Implements Strengthening of Tertiary Care Cancer Facilities Scheme. Under this scheme, 19State Cancer Institutes (SCI) and 20Tertiary Care Cancer Centres (TCCC) have been established across the country. TCCCs and SCIs play a pivotalrole in delivering high-quality care and strengthening the public health infrastructure. Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), a grant-in-aid institution under the Department of Atomic Energy, has established six hospitals across the country in Varanasi, Visakhapatnam, New Chandigarh, Guwahati, Sangrur and Muzaffarpur to provide high quality comprehensive cancer care treatment. Also, cancer treatment facilities have been approved in all 22 new AIIMS with diagnostic, medical and surgical facilities. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) at Jhajjar, provides advanced diagnostic and treatment facilities and the second campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute in Kolkata have beenset up bythe Government toprovide super specialtycancercare. These institutions are equipped with specialized infrastructure and expert manpower to serve as critical hubs for advanced cancer care, diagnosis, research, capacity building and referral treatment services. As per the announcement of Union Budget 2025-26, for financial year 2025-26, 297 Day Care Cancer Centres (DCCCs) have been approved for establishment across the country to strengthen decentralizedcancer care byaligninginfrastructure development with patientneeds. Under National Health Mission (NHM), National Free Drugs Initiative and Free Diagnostic Services ensure essential medicines and diagnostics at public health facilities, reducing out-of- pocket expenses. Anti-cancer drugs are included in the Essential Drugs List at District and Sub- Divisional Hospitals under National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non Communicable Diseases (NP-NCDs). Treatment of major NCDs including Cancer treatment are available under Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PMJAY). This scheme provides for Rs. 5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiary care hospitilization in the empanelled public and private hospitals.The Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) andAffordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) Pharmacies improve access to affordable cancer medicines, stents, and implants, reducing out-of-pocket expenses and supporting long-term treatmentadherence *****