Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Apr 27 (PTI) Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Sunday said fighting cancer is a top priority area for policy makers and a sum of Rs 3000 crore has been allocated in the last eight years for high-end treatment.

He was speaking after inaugurating the Truebeam facility (linear accelerator used in radiation oncology) at the State Cancer Institute here.

"We have made cancer treatment top priority. We have increased our baseline for screening and detection. In 1,75,000 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs), screening for oral, breast and cervical cancer has been conducted. We have made the age of 30 mandatory for screening. Cancer treatment is a priority area for policy makers," he said.

Nadda said more than 26.70 crore people have been screened for oral cancer, following which 1.63 lakh cases were detected.

"As many as 14.6 crore people were screened for breast cancer, resulting in 57,179 detections. More than 9 crore people were screened for cervical cancer, and 96,973 persons were detected with it," he said.

"The Truebeam facility will help provide high-end treatment here. Our government is fighting cancer aggressively. The word cancer scares people, breaking them emotionally and financially. We can at least make timely interventions and improve the lives of patients by making proactive strategies," Nadda asserted.

Underling steps taken by the Union government, Nadda said 20 State Cancer Institutes (SCIs) and and equal number of Tertiary Care Cancer Institutes (TCCCs) have been set up, including in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Latur in Maharashtra's Marathwada region.

Pointing out that 14.50 lakh persons are detected with cancer every year, he said, "In the last eight years, we have allocated Rs 3000 crore for high-end treatment. Cancer has become a priority area under our government. It was earlier ignored." "The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is helping people in cancer treatment. The PMJAY scheme has a scope of intervention in 1960 surgical interventions, of which 219 are related to cancer. This is benefiting the poor. So far, 68.43 lakh hospital admissions have been done through this scheme. The government has spent Rs 13160 crores on the above packages," Nadda said.

Nadda said the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and the Devendra Fadnavis dispensation in the state were fully committed to fighting cancer, adding that a new report had revealed 90 per cent people in the country are now getting treatment within 30 days of detection.

"The Union government will start 200 day care institutes for cancer, of which a sizable number will come up in Maharashtra. The Centre will start 100 nursing colleges with medical colleges. The number of medical seats in 11 colleges in the state has risen by 700. The budget for all this is not a problem for the Modi government," he asserted.

Speaking on the occasion, CM Fadnavis said the Truebeam facility inaugurated here is the first in the state.

"Earlier, people from Marathwada had to go to Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai for treatment. The Truebeam machine will ensure they can get high-end treatment here itself. PET (positron emission tomography) scan has also been sanctioned here," he said.

"Cancer is spreading due to food and lifestyle habits. We are taking two approaches to fight cancer. We are treating patients and screening people in very large numbers," the CM added.

The state government has arranged a loan of Rs 5000 crore for infrastructure upgrade at medical colleges, Fadnavis said.

"We have started 10 medical colleges in the recent past. Independent civil hospitals will be established to reduce pressure on medical colleges. A new three-level healthcare system will come up in the state in the next three years," the chief minister said.

Speaking at the event, state minister for medical education Hasan Mushrif sought AIIMS status for the cancer hospital here and an AIIMS campus in Pune.

"We have letters with proposals worth Rs 5236 crore. The Union government must keep helping states in this regard," he added. PTI AW MR BNM