Health is a State subject, and the primary responsibility for providing healthcare services, including cancer care, rests with the respective state governments. However, the Department of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to States and Union Territories across the country under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) as part of the National Health Mission (NHM).

The programme focuses on strengthening infrastructure, human resource development, screening, early diagnosis, referral, treatment, and health promotion for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Under NP-NCD, 770 District NCD Clinics, 524 Day Care Cancer Centres (DCCCs) and 6,410 NCD clinics at Community Health Centres have been set up across the country.

Under Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), eligible beneficiary families are provided health coverage of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization. The scheme covers cashless treatment for 1,961 procedures across 27 medical specialties, including Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology and Radiation Oncology, through empanelled public and private hospitals. States/UTs also have the flexibility to customize the Health Benefit Packages to address local healthcare needs.

 

To reduce waiting periods for cancer diagnosis and treatment, population-based screening for common non-communicable diseases, including oral, breast and cervical cancers, is being undertaken under the National Health Mission (NHM) for individuals aged 30 years and above through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs by trained frontline health workers (ASHAs and ANMs). This facilitates early detection and timely referral, thereby reducing delays in diagnosis and initiation of treatment. Further, DCCCs are being established in District Hospitals under a hub-and-spoke model to decentralize cancer care and facilitate timely access to chemotherapy and other day-care oncology services.

 

Under the Strengthening of Tertiary Care Cancer Facilities Scheme, 19 State Cancer Institutes (SCIs) and 20 Tertiary Care Cancer Centres (TCCCs) have been approved across the country to strengthen tertiary cancer care. Further, Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) has established six hospitals at Varanasi, Visakhapatnam, New Chandigarh, Guwahati, Sangrur and Muzaffarpur to provide comprehensive cancer care. Cancer treatment services, including diagnostic, medical and surgical facilities, have also been extended to all 22 new AIIMS. In addition, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Jhajjar and the second campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI), Kolkata provide advanced diagnostic and treatment facilities.