The Kendra government has said that Parliament has approved 297 new day care cancer centers across the country for FY 2026.
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav informed about the steps taken by the government to deal with the incidents of cancer in the country.
In the Union Budget announced in February, the government proposed that “all district hospitals will have day care cancer centers. In 2025-26, about 200 day care cancer centers will be set up.”
The purpose of this day care centers is to provide chemotherapy to cancer patients – which is an important part of the treatment of cancer.
Jadhav said, “Following the announcement made in the Union Budget 2025-26, so far 297 new day care cancer centers have been approved for the financial year 2025-26. These centers are aimed at providing follow-up chemotherapy to patients referred by tertiary care centers.”
He added, “The cost of setting up day care cancer centers according to the deficiencies of the need and convenience can be up to Rs 1.49 crore.” Currently, there are 364 such centers across the country.
In addition, the minister said that the government has set up “19 State Cancer Institutes (SCIs) and 20 Tertiary Care Cancer Center (TCCC)” under the prevention and control program (NP-NCD) of national non-communicable diseases (NP-NCD).
The centers also offer these centers for radiotherapy tools, clinical equipment, surgical equipment, and other purposes to cancer diagnosis, treatment and care for other purposes for expansion of internal citizen work and patient facilities.
Jadhav said, “The maximum assistance for SCI is Rs 120 crore and Rs 45 crore for TCCC.”
The National Cancer Institute at Jhajjar (Haryana) and the second campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute in Kolkata have been set up in Jhajjar (Haryana) to provide lying clinical and treatment facilities.
Cancer treatment facilities have also been approved in all 22 new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
In addition, under the National Health Mission (NHM), a population-based initiative has been initiated for checking, management and prevention of normal non-communicable diseases including cancer as a part of comprehensive primary health care in the country through Ayushman Arogya temples.
To promote cancer care in the country, the government has also promoted cancer education.
Jadhav said that the National Medical Commission has taken steps for ease of starting postgraduate (PG) courses including oncology.
The Minister of State said, “Any person can start a PG course without any senior resident, even with two seats, even two faculties. In many experts, the need for beds for unit formation has been reduced.”
The minister further said, “Medical College/Institute, Medical College can apply to start PG syllabus one year after getting permission to start undergraduate courses; and can start PG courses along with Government Medical College, UG courses.”