Govt updates on availability and strengthening of cancer care centres under NHM and related schemes
National Health Mission support for cancer screening, district-level oncology services, and tertiary cancer centres
- Cancer care is delivered through a shared system in which States are primarily responsible for healthcare services and the Union Government provides technical and financial support through national health programmes.
- The National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases is used to strengthen screening, early diagnosis, referral, treatment, and health promotion for non-communicable diseases.
- District Day Care Cancer Centres are being established in district hospitals under a hub-and-spoke model to decentralize chemotherapy and other day-care oncology services.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has described how cancer care is being expanded through the National Health Mission and related schemes. The policy significance lies in two linked goals: early detection at the district level and stronger referral to specialist and tertiary oncology facilities.
What the Union Government has said
The Union Government has stated that health is a State subject and that State Governments carry the primary responsibility for healthcare delivery, including cancer care. The Department of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to States and Union Territories through the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases, which is part of the National Health Mission.
UPSC can frame this topic around the role of the National Health Mission in non-communicable disease control, the division of responsibilities between States and the Union, and the design of referral networks from screening to tertiary oncology care. The issue also connects to equitable access, early diagnosis, and the public-private mix in health services.
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