New Delhi: Raising serious concerns over growing number of cancer cases in the country, many Rajya Sabha members on Wednesday urged the government to set up cancer-detection institutes in districts where the disease is more rampant.
Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said the government has taken many initiatives, including those for early detection and informed the members that India is one of the seven founding member countries among the 40 nations globally, which have established an international cancer genome consortium and are engaged in extensive work in the area through the consortium.
Dr Vardhan also said that the government is giving keen attention to research for combating cancer through national as well as international collaborations and plans to establish 1.5 lakh health and wellness clinics in the country by 2022.
At present, there are 482 centres in the country for cancer treatment with 695 teletherapy machines.
Replying to a discussion in the Upper House on the need to ensure basic facilities and affordable treatment to cancer patients, the union minister said the ‘National Cancer Grid’ initiative for uniform treatment of cancer patients was being closely monitored by the Prime Minister.
