The cost of cancer treatment is so high; however, there are several facilities in India that are determined to make it affordable. These hospitals either operate their own welfare funds, or they take part in central/state schemes, or they have special programmes to assist the poor patients. From Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, here are the top 7 government hospitals that offer cancer treatments:
An institution that is well known with regard to cancer care in India is the Tata Memorial. It does offer treatment at minimal costs or none to a significant number of patients. Approximately 70 per cent of its cancer patients, as per several sources, are free to receive treatment. They are funded by government schemes, philanthropic trusts, patient welfare funds, etc. It includes diagnostics, surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy and includes numerous advanced services.
One such government-operated institution, which is popular in offering state-of-the-art cancer care, is the RCC in Thiruvananthapuram. It subsidises or entirely covers the costs of financially unable patients in both state welfare programmes and national programmes. This comprises the latest radiotherapy methods, medical oncology, paediatric oncology, etc. The state schemes in effect cover nearly the entire treatment expense, as in the case of patients in Kerala.
Adyar Cancer Institute (sometimes called Cancer Institute (WIA)) has a rapidly evolving history of taking care of poor patients. Its patients have access to free or subsidised chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy services for many of its patients. A significant part of its social service is done on behalf of the indigent. The facility is also geared towards screening and outreach-focused programmes to ensure that cancer is detected early, so that it can assist with the cost burden of treatment.
Kidwai is a localised cancer centre belonging to the government of Karnataka. It provides low-cost treatment of cancer and welfare/aid schemes to help patients with limited socioeconomic status. Medications are frequently provided at extremely low prices, and a good number of diagnostic and treatment procedures are covered by subsidies.
TMH is not exactly a big national centre like Tata Mumbai, but it offers valuable services in the eastern part, offering free or subsidised care. It is one of the Ayushman Bharat hospitals. It is also in favour of BPL / poor-patient funds. The below-poverty-line patients are free in OPD consultation. MTMH assists the patients either through government programmes or individual giving. It periodically conducts outreach/detection camps, also.
Sadar Hospital in Miri Persons in Ranchi, has been providing free chemotherapy and overall cancer care under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, including diagnostics, surgery, chemotherapy, hormone/targeted therapy, etc. OPD services are free of charge, and those who cannot obtain coverage under the Ayushman scheme do receive the services under the charges of government schemes. This will be beneficial, particularly to patients in Jharkhand and other adjacent states who would otherwise travel long distances to access such services.
Safdarjung Hospital has oncology and is included in the governmental programmes that provide coverage of cancer treatment schemes. In several patients who fall within the schemes such as PM-JAY/Ayushman Bharat and other welfare programmes, a large part of the treatment (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, etc.) would be funded out of the government money, provided that the Maya (condition of the scheme) is met.
Yes, patients can access schemes like Ayushman Bharat, state health cards, and hospital welfare funds.
Yes, AIIMS offers free or low-cost cancer treatment under central and state health schemes.
Yes, Tata Memorial provides free and highly subsidised cancer treatment for financially weaker patients.
Several hospitals like Tata Memorial Hospital (Mumbai) and AIIMS (Delhi) offer free or subsidised cancer care.
