Key cancer diagnostic services defunct at DSCI due to staff shortage

The continued vacancy has forced patients to either incur high out-of-pocket expenses or forgo essential investigations, said officials.

Several critical cancer diagnostic and treatment services at the government-run Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI), including the medical cyclotron, PET-CECT (Positron Emission Tomography - Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography) and SPECT/CT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography/Computed Tomography) facilities in the nuclear medicine department, have remained defunct due to prolonged delays in filling the post of a nuclear medicine specialist, officials and doctors said.

Doctors at Delhi State Cancer Institute said the post has been vacant for several years. (HT PHOTO)

The continued vacancy has forced patients to either incur high out-of-pocket expenses or forgo essential investigations, they said.

Although the Union health ministry approved the urgent transfer of a senior medical officer (SMO) from Safdarjung Hospital to DSCI in November 2025, services remain non-functional as the two hospitals remain locked in administrative issues over relieving the officer.

Doctors at DSCI said the post has been vacant for several years. “Since 2019, key services, including PET-CECT, have remained defunct due to the vacant post,” a doctor said, requesting anonymity. Another doctor, also asking not to be named, said, “PET-CECT is a multifaceted and critical investigation required at various stages of cancer treatment, from initial diagnosis to radiation planning and response assessment. While the hospital has all the necessary equipment, the services remain non-functional due to the lack of a specialist.”

According to DSCI’s official website, around 400 to 500 patients visit its outpatient department daily, nearly 100 receive chemotherapy and supportive care, and about 200 to 250 patients undergo radiation therapy each day. Hospital officials said most patients belong to economically weaker sections. “Keeping this in mind, Delhi residents are referred under the Delhi Arogya Kosh (DAK) scheme to get investigations done at private facilities. However, a large number of patients still end up paying from their own pockets,” an official said.

The DAK scheme provides financial assistance to eligible Delhi residents with annual family incomes of up to ₹3 lakh for treatment and high-end diagnostics at government or empanelled private hospitals, provided they have lived in Delhi for at least three years.

To be sure, PET-CECT scans, which are vital for cancer diagnosis and treatment planning, cost between ₹10,000 and ₹20,000 at private hospitals, making them unaffordable for many patients.

In November 2025, the Union health ministry approved DSCI’s request to fill the vacant post and ordered the transfer of an SMO from Safdarjung Hospital. “With the approval of the competent authority, an SMO, Safdarjung Hospital, has been transferred to the Government of NCT of Delhi against a vacant teaching sub-cadre post of the Central Health Services for utilisation of his services at Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI), with immediate effect and until further orders,” the ministry order stated. However, nearly two months later, services have not resumed.

Responding to the issue, the health minister, Pankaj Singh said, “We are going to write to the union health ministry again to raise the issue, and ask them to provide a substitute for the person if the reliving of the concerned doctor from Safdurjung hospital is difficult. We are hoping to resolve the issue at the earliest.”

In response, DSCI director Dr Vinod Kumar said efforts are underway to fill the sanctioned post. “At present, we are using the Delhi government’s DAK scheme to refer Delhi patients for PET-CECT scans at private facilities,” he said.

Dr Kumar added, “After sustained efforts over the past year, we received approvals from both the Delhi government and the Union government for the immediate transfer of a specialised doctor. From our end, we are trying to ensure the doctor joins at the earliest. However, there are internal issues at Safdarjung Hospital, due to which the officer has not yet been relieved.”

Despite multiple attempts by HT, Safdarjung Hospital and the Delhi health department did not respond to queries.