The National Health Authority (NHA) is
planning to include all types of cancer and its treatment under their
healthcare packages. As of now, officials feel the healthcare packages for
cancer treatment are not very comprehensive.
> For the treatment of cancer, a patient
has to undergo various types of medical procedures. These include chemotherapy,
surgery and radiations. Therefore, the NHA is planning to include all kinds of
regimes for chemotherapy for various kinds of cancer.
"There are some missing links in the
treatment of cancer and it not very comprehensive. Hence, we have just
recommended further strengthening of the medical packages for cancer. This has
to be approved by the governing body and the entire process is likely to take
three months," a senior official at the NHA said.
> Confirming the development, Dr Indu
Bhushan, CEO, National Health Authority said, "Treatment for cancer is
very expensive. We want to include treatment for all type of cancer in our
health packages which are cost-effective, proven and beneficial to the
patients."
> Dr Abhishek Sankar, Professor of
Oncology at AIIMS, said every year about 15 lakh new patients are diagnosed
with cancer. Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer with 1 lakh 20
thousand patients detected every year, followed by breast cancer which affects
about 1.5 lakh patients, 2 lakh 76 thousand lip and oral cancer cases every
year. Nearly 44-45 lakh patients suffer from cancer at a particular time.
Note: NHA is an implementing body of
Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) health insurance
scheme.
> Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, a National
Health Protection Scheme, will cover over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families
(approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) providing coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh
per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.
> So far, 16000 hospitals have been
empanelled and nearly 34 lakh beneficiaries have been admitted while nine crore
e-cards have been issued.