Cancer Treatment a Top Priority, INR 3,000 Cr Allocated: Nadda

At the inauguration of the state cancer institute's Truebeam facility, Nadda detailed government initiatives to detect and manage cancer early in the country.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Sunday emphasized that cancer treatment has been made a top priority for policymakers, with an INR 3,000 crore allocation to strengthen care and intervention efforts.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Truebeam facility at the State Cancer Institute in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nadda detailed the government's initiatives to detect and manage cancer early across the country.

"We have made cancer treatment top priority. We have increased our baseline for screening and detection. In 1,75,000 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs), oral, breast, and cervical cancer screening has been conducted. We have made the age of 30 mandatory for screening. Cancer treatment is a priority area for policymakers, and we have allocated INR 3000 crore for the purpose," said Nadda.

Nationwide Screening Initiatives Yield Results

Nadda shared statistics reflecting the scale of ongoing cancer screening initiatives. "More than 26 crore people have been screened for oral cancer, following which 1.63 lakh cases were detected," he said.

Additionally, "As many as 14.6 crore people were screened for breast cancer, resulting in 57,179 detections. More than nine crore people were screened for cervical cancer, and 96,973 persons were detected with it," he added.

Highlighting the emotional and financial burden cancer inflicts, Nadda said, "The word cancer scares people, breaking them emotionally and financially. We can make timely interventions and improve patients' lives by making proactive strategies."