Rising cases of cancer a concern: Haryana health minister

Expressing concern over the rising number of cancer patients, Haryana health minister Arti Singh Rao has said that the state government’s primary focus is on dealing with anaemia and cancer.

Expressing concern over the rising number of cancer patients, Haryana health minister Arti Singh Rao has said that the state government’s primary focus is on dealing with anaemia and cancer.

Expressing concern over the rising number of cancer patients, Haryana health minister Arti Singh Rao has said that the state government’s primary focus is on dealing with anaemia and cancer.

Interacting with reporters, Rao said that the number of tests related to cancer screening will be increased to ensure early detection. She said that a 50-bed Atal cancer care centre set up at the civil hospital, Ambala Cantt, and equipped with advanced facilities is providing cancer care not only to patients from Haryana but also from neighbouring states.

The health minister said that to address the shortage of doctors, appointment letters have been issued to 746 medical officers and 845 ayurvedic medical officers. Additionally, under the National Health Mission (NHM), 346 medical officers and 154 specialists are currently rendering their services. She added that MRI scan facilities are available in five districts and that memorandums of understanding have already been signed for Panipat and Kurukshetra, while tenders have been floated for the remaining nine districts.

Rao said that under the Anemia-Free India campaign, work is being carried out at a rapid pace in the state, as a result of which the anemia rate in Haryana has declined from 59% to 53%. This improvement has helped the state move from fifth to third position in the national rankings.

The health minister reiterated that the state government remains fully committed to providing affordable, accessible and quality healthcare to its citizens.