Himachal Pradesh government announces free treatment and medicines for cancer patients
Diary Times News Service
Shimla, August 5: In a significant step aimed at reducing the burden of cancer treatment, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today announced that the Himachal Pradesh government will provide free treatment and medicines to cancer patients. The initiative includes 42 essential medicines, which have now been added to the state’s essential medicines list, which will be available free of cost in government hospitals.
During the first meeting of the State Advisory Board on Cancer and Palliative Care Programme, the Chief Minister stressed the urgent need to address the rising incidence of cancer in Himachal Pradesh, which ranks second in the country in cancer cases. “This revolutionary decision has been taken to provide relief to cancer patients,” Chief Minister Sukhu said. “This facility will be provided in various government hospitals.”
One of the notable inclusions in the free medicine list is the trastuzumab vaccine, which is a crucial component in the treatment of breast cancer. With each vaccine costing around Rs 40,000 and a patient requiring 18 doses annually, the state will spend around Rs 7 lakh per patient to provide this life-saving drug.
Additionally, the government has approved a substantial budget of Rs 300 crore for enhancing cancer treatment infrastructure. This includes Rs 75 crore for development of a centre of excellence in cancer care at Hamirpur, Rs 75 crore for setting up a bone marrow transplant facility at Chamiyana, Shimla and Rs 150 crore for acquiring advanced cancer treatment equipment for the Hamirpur centre.
To expand access to cancer care, the state government is setting up cancer day care centres across Himachal Pradesh in a phased manner. Thirteen centres have been set up in the first phase, 27 in high-load civil hospitals and community health centres in the second phase and 28 additional centres are planned in the third phase. These centres will also include palliative care units to provide comprehensive support to patients.
Chief Minister Sukhu highlighted the adoption of world-class technology at the Cancer Care Centre of Excellence in Hamirpur, which includes a large capacity nuclear laboratory and a specialised department of nuclear medicine equipped with a cyclotron. Besides, bone marrow transplant services will be started at the Atal Institute of Medical Super-Specialities at Chamiyana, Shimla.
A population-based cancer registry will also be launched to study cancer cases and trends in the state, starting with a pilot project in one district for cancer screening.
The Chief Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to public welfare and improving healthcare facilities, stressing that providing better healthcare facilities is the top priority of the state administration. This comprehensive initiative aims to significantly enhance cancer care and support for patients in Himachal Pradesh.
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