Union Health Minister JP Nadda announced on 18 of March that over 68 lakh cancer treatments, amounting to more than ₹13,000 crore, have been conducted under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, with 75.81% of these benefiting rural populations.
Among them, over 4.5 lakh treatments valued at ₹985 crore were for targeted cancer therapies, with 76.32% of recipients coming from rural areas. These treatments fall under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), the minister stated in response to a parliamentary question.
To enhance cancer care, a nationwide initiative under the National Health Mission has been launched for screening, prevention, and management of non-communicable diseases, including cancer. Those suspecting they have cancer can seek expert consultations from district and tertiary hospitals.
Under PMJAY, treatment for multiple cancer types, such as breast, oral, and cervical cancers, is available through over 200 packages covering more than 500 medical, surgical, radiation oncology, and palliative procedures.
Among these, 37 packages focus on targeted therapies, including chemotherapy for conditions like metastatic melanoma, chronic myeloid leukemia, Burkitt’s lymphoma, lung cancer, and breast cancer.
Additionally, cancer patients living below the poverty line can receive a one-time financial aid of up to ₹15 lakh through the Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF). To make medicines more affordable, the government sells generic drugs at 50–80% lower prices through Janaushadhi Stores and 217 AMRIT Pharmacies, offering 289 oncology drugs at half the market cost.
The government also plans to establish 200 district hospital-based day care cancer centres in 2025–26, as announced in the budget. Under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), 770 district NCD clinics, 233 cardiac care units, 372 district day care centres, and 6,410 NCD clinics at community health centres have been set up.
For advanced cancer care, 19 state cancer institutes and 20 tertiary cancer centres have been established across India. Cancer treatment facilities have been approved in all 22 new AIIMS institutions, including diagnostic, medical, and surgical services.
Two major centres offering advanced cancer treatment include the National Cancer Institute in Jhajjar, Haryana, with 1,460 beds, and the second campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute in Kolkata, with 460 beds. Additionally, 372 district day care centres across the country provide chemotherapy services.
Under the Department of Atomic Energy, Tata Memorial Centre operates cancer hospitals in rural and semi-urban areas, such as the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital in Sangrur, Punjab, and the Homi Bhabha Hospital in Muzaffarpur, Bihar.
