Parliament Question: Treatment For Chronic and Life-Threatening Diseases

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENT OFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 2157 TO BE ANSWERED ON31STJULY,2026 TREATMENTFORCHRONICAND LIFE-THREATENING DISEASES

2157. SHRIMANI A:

Willthe Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:

(a) whether the Government has assessed the financial burden of treatment for chronic and life- threatening diseases such as cancer, neurological disorders, kidney failure and cardiac ailments on economically weaker sections and middle-class families in Tamil Nadu, particularly in Dharmapuri district, if so, the details thereof;

(b) the details of Government hospitals, including tertiary care institutions, in Tamil Nadu providing free or subsidised treatment for such diseases along with the number of beneficiaries from Dharmapuri during the last three years, year-wise;

(c) whether the Government proposes to expand financial assistance under Central health schemes to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure for patients in Tamil Nadu, especially those from Dharmapuri, if so, the detailsthereof; and

(d) the steps taken and proposed to be taken by the Government to improve access to affordable diagnostics, medicines and specialised treatment facilities for chronic diseases in underserved districts, includingDharmapuri? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE INTHE MINISTRYOFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE (SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a)to (d) Healthis a state subject, hence,the responsibility for improvingthe healthcare facilities lies with the respective State/UT Governments. However, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to the States / UTs to strengthen the public health care system, based on the proposals received in the form of Program Implementation Plans(PIPs)underNational HealthMission Scheme(NHM).

Under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP -NCD), the Department of Health & Family Welfare implements the Strengthening of Tertiary Care Cancer Facilities Scheme to augment tertiary cancer care infrastructure across the country.

Under the Scheme, 19 State Cancer Institutes (SCIs) and 20 Tertiary Care Cancer Centres

(TCCCs) have been approved. In the State of Tamilnadu, Cancer Institute (RCC), Adyar, Chennai hasbeenapprovedasa State CancerInstitute (SCI).In addition, 524 Day Care Cancer Centres (DCCCs) are functional across the country to ensure cancer care accessibility at district hospital level, out of which 38 Day Care Cancer Centres

(DCCCs) have beenapprovedinthe State of TamilNadu.

As informed by the Government of Tamil Nadu, the State is implementing various measures to improve access to affordable and quality healthcare in rural and underserved districts, including Dharmapuri, by strengthening public health infrastructure, digital health initiatives and telemedicine under the National Health Mission (NHM), PM-ABHIM and 15th Finance Commission Health Grants. It is also implementing initiatives such as free diagnostic services, population-based and organised cancer screening, home-based healthcare, and financial protection through the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMHIS) to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure.

The Central Government supplements these efforts through the NHM byproviding technical and financial support to strengthen public healthcare systems. Treatment for major NCDs, including cancer, is covered under Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), which provides health coverage of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalization. Affordable medicines are made available through the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) and AMRIT Pharmacies. In addition, free drugs and diagnostics are provided under NHM, and anti-cancer drugs are included in the Essential Drugs List at District and Sub-Divisional Hospitals under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD).

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