Govt to give financial assistance to cancer patients

New Delhi, Aug 12 (PTI) Concerned over the growing
incidents of cancer, the Indian government plans to go in for
a scheme under which 100 patients in each district would be
provided Rs one lakh for treatment, the Lok Sabha (lower house
of Parliament) was informed on Friday.
Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said that at present the
scheme was being run on a pilot basis in 100 districts in 21
states and it would be extended to all districts in a year or
two.
Responding to Jai Prakash Agarwal (Cong) during the Zero
Hour, the Minister said the way incidents of cancer and
diabetes were increasing, the country will soon be having the
largest number of persons suffering from the diseases.
Agarwal wanted that the funds available to MPs under
MPLADS should be allowed to be made available to institutes
like AIIMS and Tata Hospital for the treatment of cancer
patients.
He said such help was needed as families of cancer
patients become bankrupt while providing the costly medical
services. He was supported by Dara Singh Chauhan (BSP) and
Sanjiv Naik (NCP).
The Minister said that government would bear all the cost
of treatment of cancer patients who live below poverty line
and have BPL cards.