More than 75 per cent of cancer treatments under the government’s Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) have been availed by beneficiaries from rural areas, Union Health Minister JP Nadda informed Parliament.
Nadda stated that the health insurance scheme has facilitated over 68 lakh cancer treatments across the country, amounting to more than ₹13,000 crore.
Of these, more than 4.5 lakh treatments, worth over ₹985 crore, have been administered for targeted therapies against various cancers. Significantly, around 76.32 per cent of the beneficiaries receiving cancer care under the scheme were from rural areas.
The minister also highlighted the ongoing nationwide screening drive aimed at the management and prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, hypertension, and cancers. The campaign, which runs until March 31, targets 100 per cent screening of individuals aged 30 years and above. It is being carried out at Ayushman Arogya Mandir facilities and other healthcare institutions under the NP-NCD framework.
Under PMJAY, treatments for several types of cancer, such as breast, oral, and cervical cancers, are covered. The scheme provides over 200 treatment packages encompassing more than 500 procedures across medical oncology, surgical oncology, radiation oncology, and palliative care.
Additionally, 37 packages specifically cater to targeted therapies, including chemotherapy for conditions like breast cancer, metastatic melanoma, chronic myeloid leukaemia, Burkitt’s lymphoma, and lung cancer.
The minister also informed that cancer patients living below the poverty line are eligible for a one-time financial assistance of up to ₹15 lakh under the Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF).
Further, Nadda pointed out that generic medicines are sold at 50 to 80 per cent lower prices compared to branded medicines through Janaushadhi Stores and 217 AMRIT pharmacies. A total of 289 oncology drugs are available at nearly half the market price.
As part of the government’s focus on expanding cancer care infrastructure, Nadda announced the establishment of 200-day care cancer centres at district hospitals in the financial year 2025-26, as proposed in the Union Budget.
Under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), the government has also set up 770 district NCD clinics, 233 cardiac care units, 372 district day care centres, and 6,410 NCD clinics at community health centres nationwide.
In addition, 19 State Cancer Institutes and 20 Tertiary Cancer Care Centres have been established to provide advanced cancer treatment across various states. Cancer treatment facilities have also been approved in all 22 new AIIMS, offering diagnostic, medical, and surgical services.
Two prominent advanced cancer centres include the National Cancer Institute in Jhajjar, Haryana, with a capacity of 1,460 beds, and the second campus of the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute in Kolkata, which has 460 beds. Additionally, chemotherapy services are being provided at 372 District Day Care Centres across the country.
—IANS
