Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Dec 18: Responding to a series of questions in Parliament on the rising burden of cancer in the country, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, and MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh today highlighted the Government’s multi-pronged, future-ready strategy to strengthen cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, research, and affordability, particularly for economically weaker sections.
Addressing concerns related to hospital admissions, rising cancer incidence, affordability of medicines, vaccines, global collaborations, and access to advanced nuclear therapies, the Minister said the Government is transforming cancer care from selective excellence to universal accessibility, driven by research, technology, and public health integration.
Dr. Singh acknowledged that cancer patients and their families often face emotional and logistical stress during hospital admissions. He said the Government is working towards streamlining admission procedures, while simultaneously expanding oncology facilities at the district level to reduce referral pressure on tertiary hospitals.
The minister highlighted that since 2014, 11 Tata Memorial Centre hospitals have been established across the country, along with a national cancer care grid covering over 300 hospitals, ensuring standardized and accessible cancer services closer to patients’ homes. Major expansions, including a Platinum Block at Navi Mumbai, are also underway.
Addressing concerns over the growing prevalence of cancer, Dr. Singh said the rise is a global phenomenon, driven by longer life expectancy, environmental factors, lifestyle changes, and early onset of non-communicable diseases.”Cancer today is no longer a disease of old age alone. Early diagnosis has transformed many cancers from fatal to curable,” the Minister said.
He informed the House that extensive research is underway through institutions such as the Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology (BRIT), Tata Memorial Centre, and teaching hospitals, focusing not only on cancer itself but also on reducing side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy through radioprotective agents and precision-targeted technologies.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said that affordability remains central to the Government’s cancer care policy. At Tata Memorial Centre, nearly 60% of patients receive treatment free or at nominal cost, supported by schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, while even paid services are significantly cheaper than corporate hospitals.
On international collaboration, Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted Tata Memorial Centre’s partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) under the “Rays of Hope” initiative, which is training healthcare professionals from low- and middle-income countries.He said Tata Memorial uniquely combines patient care, teaching, and cutting-edge research, operating as a deemed university and offering super-specialty training in oncology, paediatric oncology, and nuclear medicine across multiple states, including Assam.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
