Cancer Deaths on the Rise in India

New Delhi: The number of deaths due to cancer has been increasing in the country, according to the National Cancer Registry Programme of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Union Health Minister J P Nadda informed the Parliament on Wednesday that the estimated mortality from cancer in the year 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 were 4,65,169, 4,78,185, 4,91,598 and 5,05,428, respectively.

The minister said treatment of cancer in government hospitals is either free or subsidised, and financial aid is available to Below Poverty Line (BPL) patients under Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi.

Besides this, the Health Minister's Cancer Patient Fund within Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi has been set up in 2009 where 27 regional cancer centres are provided with revolving fund to provide immediate financial assistance up to Rs 2 lakh to cancer patients belonging to BPL category.

Also, with an aim of making cancer drugs available at affordable prices, AMRIT (affordable medicines and reliable implants for treatment) pharmacy has been opened at AIIMS in New Delhi on pilot basis.