Blog on Cancer Assistances

Hospitals in Maharashtra that have received land-related concessions from the State Government, have to mandatorily reserve 20% of beds for the financially weak. Out of these, 10% beds have to be reserved for free treatment to those whose annual income is less than 1.8 lakh. Another 10% beds are to be made available for concessional treatment to patients earning between Rs 1.8 lakh to Rs 3.6 lakh per year. Currently, 94 hospitals in Maharashtra are in the above category. These include eminent hospitals in Mumbai like Lilavati, Jaslok and Breach Candy.

Underprivileged patients wishing to get treated in charitable hospitals may enquire during admission whether the free or concessional treatment facility is available or not. 

Cancer drugs were prohibitively expensive when import was the sole option. Indian companies are now producing some drugs, which cost drastically lower. As a result of Government's PLI scheme more drugmakers are expected to manufacture cancer drugs, leading to further drop in prices.

Earlier Trastuzumab, a breast & gastric cancer drug cost Rs 70,000 to Rs 80,000 a month, but that price dropped to Rs 12,000 per month when local product from Dr Reddy's Labs and Aurobindo Pharma became available. Other drugs like Dasatinib, Lenalidomide, Nintedanib and Sunitinib now cost around Rs 4,000 per month each, as compared to much higher prices applicable for imported ones.
 

Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) treats over 2,000 childhood cancer patients every year. But that's not all. They run ACT (after completion of treatment) clinics which these child survivors are encouraged to visit for follow-up every year or every 2 years.

TMC's IMPACCT Foundation spearheads treatment of paediatric patients and also provides financial help, nutrition, classroom education in hospital premises, post-treatment care etc. 

Finally, the Foundation gives financial support to the survivors to pursue professional courses like computers, engineering, management etc.
 

‘Ayushman Bharat’ scheme has been launched by Govt of India to help economically weaker sections of society avail healthcare needs without financial burden. The urban and rural poor (as defined in the scheme) can avail cashless hospitalization and treatment at empaneled hospitals to the extent of Rs 5 lakh per family per financial year (1st April to 31st March). 

An Ayushman card is issued to each beneficiary and this has to be presented at the empaneled hospital, while seeking treatment. To check whether one is eligible to join the scheme, access the website www.pmjay.gov.in and click on ‘Am I Eligible’ on the navigation bar or main menu at the top of the website.

All cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery are covered under Ayushman Bharat scheme. Diagnostic tests, including PET scan and CT scan, are included in the coverage. It is necessary that all urban and rural poor enlist themselves in the scheme and avail the benefits when illnesses, including cancer, strike.

In India, we get routine health issues attended to by the family doctor. When some symptoms are encountered, through examination and tests, the family doctor may suspect cancer. At that moment, the patient and family members panic and often go to the nearest private hospital and start treatment. At other times, the family doctor himself or herself may know a private hospital and ask the patient to get treated there. The problem is that an underprivileged patient is unable to afford private hospital’s charges.

Ideally such patients should get treated for cancer at the nearest ‘Regional Cancer Centre’ (RCC) or at one of the Tata Memorial hospitals. These hospitals offer world-class treatment and poor patients are treated for free or at highly subsidized costs. In the country there are 22 RCCs and 9 Tata hospitals and so, there is a good chance of securing admission in one of these. 

It is very important that underprivileged patients are made aware of these affordable cancer treatment options, so that ruinous expenditure is not incurred on treatment.