The government aims to open 200 day cancer care centres in the country in 2025-26 where basic facilities to patients would be provided and such centres would be established in all districts in the next three years, Health Minister J P Nadda said in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
Replying to supplementary queries during Question Hour, the minister said the government is trying to make healthcare affordable, accessible and equitable by giving technical and financial support to states.
"As per the recent Lancet report, the Ayushman Bharat has made a big contribution and cancer treatment has started within 30 days of screening under this programme," the health minister said, amid thumping of desks by treasury benches.
Nadda said the Union Budget has announced the opening of day cancer care centres in every district.
"In 2025-26, we are going to open 200 day cancer care centres and will open such centres in all the districts of the country in the next three years," he said on the steps taken by the government in providing treatment to cancer patients.
The minister also announced that there are 22 AIIMS with full-fledged oncology departments and all central hospitals have oncology departments for the treatment of cancer.
"Our Jhajjar AIIMS has the country's biggest 700-bed cancer centre, where all treatments for cancer are available," he said.
To another question, Nadda said the Gorakhpur All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is functioning and its OPD and IPD are operating in full swing.
The Union Health Ministry has signed an MoU with BHU to convert its medical college to AIIMS-like institution and their budgeting is also being done. "We will take it forward," he said.
