Union Health Ministry is implementing ‘Strengthening of Tertiary Cancer Care Centre Facilities’ Scheme in order to enhance the facilities for tertiary care of cancer. There are 19 State Cancer Institutes (SCIs) and 20 Tertiary Care Cancer Centres (TCCCs) approved under this scheme. All these institutes focus also on cancer research. There is also focus on Oncology in its various aspects in case of All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi and new AIIMS under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna (PMSSY). Department of Health Research / Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), with an objective to further health research in the country, carry out medical research on various health related subjects which includes research on cancer through its annual budgetary support.
The primary responsibility for implementation of health schemes in the country lies with the States. The Union Health Ministry through its centrally sponsored schemes is providing additional budgetary support to supplement the efforts of the States/UTs for implementation of various health activities including activities under National Programme for Tobacco Control and Drug de-addiction Treatment (NPTCDAT).
The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.