India News | Cancer Infra Assessed, 200 Special Centres to Be Set Up in Key Districts in 2025-26: Minister

New Delhi, Apr 1 (PTI) The Centre has taken stock of the cancer care infrastructure, medical personnel, and equipment in district hospitals for setting up of Day Care Cancer Centres, or DCCCs, Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

According to Union Budget 2025-26, the government plans to set up DCCCs across district hospitals in the next three years, out of which 200 centres are proposed to be set up in the current fiscal, Jadhav said in a written reply.

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"A comprehensive gap analysis has been undertaken to assess the availability of cancer care infrastructure, medical personnel, and essential equipment in district hospitals," he said.

Based on the findings, the health ministry, in consultation with state governments, plans to establish 200 DCCCs in districts where there is a high cancer burden and limited access to cancer care.

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The selection of these districts will ensure robust referral linkages with State Cancer Institutes (SCIs) and Tertiary Cancer Care Centers (TCCCs), Jadhav said. At present, 19 SCIs and 20 TCCCs are operational across the country to deliver advanced cancer care services.

These centers aim to provide follow-up chemotherapy for patients referred by tertiary care centres. Treatment in government hospitals is either free or highly subsidised, Jadhav said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)