Maha cabinet clears policy for cancer treatment, proposes establishment of MAHACARE Foundation

Mumbai, Sep 30 (IANS) The Maharashtra cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Tuesday cleared a comprehensive cancer treatment policy to ensure quality treatment for cancer patients in the state.

For the scheme, Maharashtra Cancer Care, Research and Education Foundation (MAHACARE Foundation) will be established, and through this, cancer-related speciality treatment will be provided in 18 hospitals across the state. This is expected to increase the number of cancer-related day-care centres in the state.

As per this policy, cancer hospitals have been structured in three tiers: L-1, L-2 and L-3 (LI, L2 and L3). These centres will provide radiotherapy, chemotherapy, post-graduate and super-speciality education, diagnosis of all types of cancer, surgery, physiotherapy, psychological support and treatment, research, palliative care, availability of drug facilities and awareness activities. The MAHACARE Foundation will provide manpower, funding and guidance to these L-2, L-3 centres as per the requirement.

Apart from this, a Command and Control Centre will be established for coordination between all these centres. An expert executive board will be appointed for the day-to-day management of this foundation. The foundation will be able to take the cooperation of NGOs in palliative care activities for cancer treatment. Along with developing new treatment methods for cancer, appropriate and cost-effective health programmes, including cancer, will be designed at the local level. Activities will be implemented to increase awareness about research in health services and lifestyle changes to prevent diseases.

The foundation will work to facilitate the exchange of information between health care centres in the country and the state. An initial fund of Rs 100 crore will be made available as share capital to the MAHACARE Foundation. Also, it was approved in Tuesday's meeting to give 20 per cent of the fees received by cancer hospitals under the Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana to the MAHACARE Foundation.

Apart from this, the foundation will raise funds through clinical trials. Also, the foundation will be able to raise funds through international organisations, as per the requirement, as well as donations, grants, and corporate social responsibility (CSR). This will enable the foundation to raise funds for other projects under the medical education and pharmaceuticals department besides cancer.

The procurement of equipment, manpower and management for L-3 level centres will be done through MAHACARE Foundation as per the Public Private Partnership (PPP) policy. Whereas, the recruitment of posts in government medical colleges at the L-2 level will be done by the Medical Education Department and the Public Health Department of the government. The condition of approval of the high-level committee has been relaxed in this regard.

According to the government's release, the policy for cancer treatment was needed, especially when the incidence of cancer has been increasing recently, and the problem is likely to worsen in the coming days.

“The 2025 report of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Centre for Disease Data (NCDIR) shows an 11 per cent increase in the number of cancer patients in the state compared to 2020. About 100 cancer patients are found per 1 lakh population in the country. Considering the seriousness of cancer in the country, the Central Government has announced in the Budget 2025-26 to set up day care centres for cancer treatment in all district hospitals of the country in the next 3 years. Also, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has instructed the states to take necessary measures. Accordingly, the government has formulated this policy,” said the release.

--IANS

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