Assam leads as NE reports 3.6% of nation cancer cases

Guwahati: Northeast region of India accounted for 3.6% of the country's total cancer cases over the past five years. This was stated by minister of state for ministry of health and family welfare, Prataprao Jadhav, in a written reply to queries raised by UPPL MLA from Assam, Joyanta Basumatary, in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

Cancer incidence estimates varied across northeastern states, with Assam reporting 41,713 cases, followed by Meghalaya (3,168), Tripura (2,871), Manipur (2,250), Mizoram (2,114), Nagaland (1,845), and Arunachal Pradesh (1,143).

The minister highlighted findings from the CaRes NER multidisciplinary programme implemented by ICMR-NCDIR, which conducted a monitoring survey on cancer risk factors and health system response in the region. This study examined key indicators related to cancer and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) across 12 population-based cancer registries in eight northeastern states, sampling 23,040 adults over 18 years.

To address cancer and other major NCDs, the national programme for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NPNCD) was launched by the central govt's department of health and family welfare in 2010.

The programme emphasises infrastructure development, healthcare workforce training, health promotion, early diagnosis, management, and appropriate referrals. "Under the programme, 115 district NCD clinics and 326 community health centre NCD clinics have been established across the northeastern states," Jadhav said.

The minister also emphasised that treatment in govt hospitals is either free or highly subsidised for those in need. Several central govt initiatives are in place to improve healthcare access and affordability, including the establishment of a state cancer institute in Assam and tertiary cancer care centres in Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Sikkim.

Other initiatives include the national free drugs service, free diagnostic service, Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), and affordable medicines and reliable implants for treatment (AMRIT).