Assam expands cancer care network, plans 17 day care centres across state

The Assam government has announced a major expansion of its cancer care infrastructure, revealing in the Legislative Assembly that 17 new Day Care Cancer Centres will be established across the state to strengthen access to treatment, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

Replying to a question by MLA Bolin Chetia on cancer prevention and treatment among women and children, Health Minister Ashok Singhal said the Assam Cancer Care Foundation (ACCF) has significantly expanded cancer treatment services across the state through a network of specialised hospitals and satellite centres.

The minister informed the House that the State Cancer Institute (SCI), Guwahati, has been developed into a premier cancer treatment facility, while five additional cancer centres at Dibrugarh, Barpeta, Tezpur, Nagaon and Silchar are functioning actively. Advanced oncology services, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery and diagnostics, are being provided through these facilities.

To further decentralise treatment, the government has approved 17 Day Care Cancer Centres. Of these, 12 centres have already been established at Dibrugarh, Barpeta, Silchar, Jorhat, Tezpur, Lakhimpur, Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Diphu, Goalpara, Tinsukia and Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). The remaining centres will become operational in phases.

The minister said these centres have been equipped with modern technology to provide chemotherapy and follow-up treatment closer to patients' homes, reducing the need to travel long distances for routine cancer care.

According to data presented in the Assembly, the Assam Cancer Care Foundation has treated 315 children with cancer since 2022. The distribution of cases includes 113 at the State Cancer Institute, Guwahati, 81 at Dibrugarh Cancer Centre, 46 at Barpeta, 20 at Tezpur, 19 at Darrang, 18 at Kokrajhar, 11 at Lakhimpur, 5 at Jorhat, and 2 at Silchar.

The government said cancer prevention remains a key focus area. Community outreach programmes, mobile medical units and Village Health Outreach Programmes (VHOP) are being conducted to raise awareness and facilitate early detection. The ACCF also organises free cancer screening camps across the state and provides medicines free of cost to eligible patients under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).

The minister further stated that HPV vaccination is being implemented to help prevent cervical cancer among adolescent girls, while Hepatitis-B vaccination under the Universal Immunisation Programme is expected to reduce the incidence of liver cancer in the future.

Singhal said the government's objective is to ensure that quality cancer diagnosis and treatment are available within easy reach of every citizen, reducing the financial and logistical burden on patients while strengthening Assam's public healthcare system.