Why are all cancer patients not treated for free in the country? Health Minister JP Nadda gave the answer

New Delhi: The issue of cancer was raised in the Lok Sabha on Friday. Many members asked questions to the Union Health Minister regarding this serious disease. In which Hanuman Beniwal, MP from Nagaur, Amarinder Singh Raja Waring, MP from Ludhiana and Shambhavi, MP from Samastipur wanted to know from the government what to do with cheap medicines for the treatment of a serious disease like cancer? Should the government provide free treatment for this disease to patients of all classes, be it BPL or middle class.

Cancer cases are increasing every year

Responding to these questions asked during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said that the number of cancer cases is increasing at the rate of about 2.5 percent every year. Cases of oral cancer and lung cancer are increasing in men. Cases of breast cancer are increasing in women. he/she said that more than 15.5 lakh cases of cancer are being registered every year. There is a list of 131 essential medicines for cancer, which are in Schedule 1. The price of which is fixed by the government. These are commonly used medicines. Due to this price control, a total of about Rs 294 crore was saved for the patients.

‘We don’t want to compromise on the quality of doctors’

he/she said there are 28 combinations which are not in this list. But NPPA (National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority) and the government have also regulated their pricing. The government has tried to make cancer medicines affordable. Nadda said medical colleges are being expanded in the country so that there can be more doctors. We do not want to compromise on the quality of doctors. Nadda told the House that the number of medical colleges in the country has increased from 387 in 2014 to 731 at present, while the number of MBBS seats has increased from 51,348 to 1,12,112 during the same period. he/she said the number of postgraduate seats for medical students was 31,185 in 2014, which has increased to 72,627 at present.