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Day care cancer centres become functional in 22 districts in Haryana
Speaking on the World Cancer Day, Misra earlier only five day care cancer centres were operational in districts of Ambala, Panchkula, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar and Faridabad.
Haryana additional chief secretary (ACS), Health, Sumita Misra on Wednesday said that day care cancer centres have started functioning from today at 22 district civil hospitals across the state.
Speaking on the World Cancer Day, Misra earlier only five day care cancer centres were operational in districts of Ambala, Panchkula, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar and Faridabad.
The ACS said that the day care centres have been set up to decentralise cancer care facilities and improve accessibility, affordability and continuity of cancer treatment closer to patients’ homes. These facilities will provide follow-up chemotherapy, palliative care, symptom management, supportive care services and structured post-treatment follow-up in line with approved clinical protocols.
The ACS said that under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD), the Health department is intensifying awareness campaigns on cancer risk factors and healthy lifestyles to reduce disease burden. Observances such as World Cancer Day and National Cancer Awareness Day are used to sensitise citizens about healthy eating habits, regular physical activity, and the harmful effects of tobacco and alcohol consumption.
Misra said that screening for common cancers is being carried out at all Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres, sub-divisional hospitals and district civil hospitals across Haryana. Suspected cases are confirmed through facilities such as FNAC, pap smear, fluid cytology and biopsy, which are available at multiple district-level hospitals.
She said that the Atal Cancer Care Centre (ACCC) at civil hospital, Ambala Cantt. is a unique, state-of-the-art facility providing comprehensive cancer care at the secondary level. The centre offers chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgical oncology services and is equipped with advanced technology including a linear accelerator, CT simulator and brachytherapy units. Between January and December 2025, more than 20,016 patients attended the OPD at ACCC, 2,743 patients received chemotherapy through 3,829 chemotherapy sessions, while 396 mammography tests, 237 brachytherapy procedures and 721 surgeries were successfully performed.
“To reduce the financial burden on patients, free travel facility is being provided to cancer patients along with one attendant. Under this initiative, the number of free travel facility cards issued has increased from 7,617 in 2022–23 to 10,102 in 2024–25. Monthly financial assistance of ₹3,000 to stage III and IV cancer patients whose annual family income is below ₹3 lakh is also being provided. So far, 5,807 cancer patients have been covered under this pension scheme through the SEWA department,’’ the ACS said.
