New Delhi, BRS Rajya Sabha member B Parthasaradhi Reddy has urged the government to treat growing cancer-related issues as a national priority and take measures to deal with the matter, which is silently becoming a major public health emergency.
Expressing concern over the growing cancer crisis in the country, he said the number of cancer cases in India is rising sharply every year due to late detection, lack of routine screening, and low level of awareness among the masses.
Reddy said there is an urgent need for more medical, surgical and radiation oncologists, and that most advanced centres are located in cities like Delhi, Bombay, and Hyderabad, leaving cancer patients from rural parts of India to travel long distances for treatment.
He further said millions of families, particularly the average and middle-income groups, are being pushed into financial distress due to the extremely high cost of treating cancer-related diseases.
To address the issue, Reddy asked the government to ensure accessibility and affordability of all life-saving oncology drugs, launch a national mass cancer screening mission, and design a policy to support and encourage not-for-profit hospitals.
