Free Treatment Facility for Children with Cancer
The treatment of children with Cancer in various Government Hospitals is either free or subsidized both for the Central and State Government Hospitals. Cancer can be diagnosed and treated at various levels in the Government health care system. Hence the number of such facilities for the States is not centrally maintained.
Government of India provides facilities for treatment of cancer through Central Government Hospitals/Institutions in different parts of the country such as All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Safdarjung Hospital, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, PGIMER Chandigarh, JIPMER Puducherry, Chittranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata etc. Oncology in its various aspects has focus in case of new AIIMS and many upgraded institutions under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna (PMSSY). The proposal of setting up of National Cancer Institute at Jhajjar and development of 2nd campus of Chittranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata has also been approved. 27 Regional Cancer Centres were recognized and supported under the erstwhile National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) for treatment of cancer patients.
In addition, Government of India has in the year 2013-14, approved a scheme for enhancing the Tertiary Care Cancer facilities in the country. Under this scheme (Tertiary component of NPCDCS), Government of India will assist 20 State Cancer Institutes (SCI) and 50 Tertiary Care Cancer Centres (TCCC) in different parts of the country. The maximum assistance inclusive of State Share for SCI is Rs.120 crores and for TCCC is Rs.45 crores. The Central and State share will be in the ratio 75:25, and for North East and Hill States this ratio would be 90:10. Financial assistance to patients is also provided under the Health Minister’s Discretionary Grant and Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund under Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi.
The MoS, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha here today.
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MV/BK