60K cancer cases in 2 years, mere 915 beds in Haryana govt facilities

As many as 59,912 cancer cases were recorded at several health facilities in Haryana in two years but there are only 915 beds available for patients in various government health institutions.

Replying to a Calling Attention Notice by Indian National Lok Dal’s Arjun Chautala on the rising number of cancer patients in the state, Health Minister Arti Singh Rao said 29,437 cancer patients were reported in 2023 and 30,475 in 2024 across several health facilities.

The data has been sourced from district civil hospitals, private institutions, district hospital labs, National Cancer Institute (Jhajjar), Atal Cancer Care Centre (Ambala Cantonment), ESI Medical College (Faridabad), Maharaja Agrasen Medical College (Hisar), Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College (Karnal), PGIMS-Rohtak, BPS Government Medical College for Women (Sonepat), SHKM Government Medical College (Nuh), Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh and Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital (Sangrur & New Chandigarh).

In 2023 and 2024, the most cases were reported from private institutions (18,988), followed by district civil hospitals (15,601), National Cancer Institute, Jhajjar (7,778), and PGIMS-Rohtak (7,540). As per the medical certification of the cause of death, 5,071 cancer-related deaths were recorded in the state between 2021 and 2023.

Regarding the capacity of government health institutions, Rao said cancer care services, including OPD, chemotherapy and surgery, were provided free to needy patients at the district civil hospitals in Faridabad, Panchkula, Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar. Cancer treatment is available at the PGIMS-Rohtak, GMC (Sonepat), GMC (Nuh), GMC (Karnal), Maharaja Agrasen Medical College (Hisar) and the National Cancer Institute (Jhajjar).

Additionally, a 50-bed Atal Cancer Care Centre has been established at the Civil Hospital, Ambala Cantonment. In 2024, 712 patients received radiotherapy, 2,695 underwent chemotherapy and 483 cancer surgeries were performed.

These facilities cover only 11 of the 22 districts in the state. “In total, 38 special cancer wards with 915 beds are available in various government health facilities,” admitted Rao. She added that 306 health facilities were empanelled for cancer treatment under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, and 389 multispecialty private hospitals were empanelled with the state government for the treatment of various diseases.

Under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, 14,967 claims related to cancer services were raised between 2022 and 2025, amounting to Rs 151.07 crore.

According to the Risk Factor Assessment Survey conducted in Haryana by the PGIMER, Chandigarh, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, tobacco consumption, alcohol consumption, air pollution, pesticides & chemicals and infections were the most common risk factors for non-communicable diseases, including cancer. Oral cavity, lung and esophageal cancers are most common in men, while in women, the most prevalent are breast, cervical, ovarian and oral cavity cancers, added the minister.

Apart from the hospital data, the minister also provided estimated cancer cases based on cancer registries from the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Cancer Registry Programme (ICMR-NCRP). The estimated number of cancer cases in Haryana was 29,219 in 2020, 30,015 in 2021, and 30,851 in 2022. The estimated mortality figures stood at 16,109 deaths in 2020, 16,543 in 2021, and 16,997 in 2022.