Arjun Chautala calls for better cancer treatment facilities, financial help for patients

On the last day of the ongoing Haryana Assembly session, Arjun Chautala, INLD MLA from Rania of Sirsa district raised concerns about the growing number of cancer patients in the state. He questioned the government about its plans to prevent the spread of cancer and sought details on the availability of cancer treatment facilities in hospitals. He also asked about the reasons behind the rapid rise in cancer cases.

In his supplementary questions, Arjun Chautala asked for the government's expenditure on cancer screening and campaigns, requesting a complete breakdown of the districts where screening was being conducted.

Chautala highlighted the high cost of the cancer drug “bevacizumab,” which cost around Rs 1.5 lakh per injection. Patients needed the injection every 15 to 20 days, but most were unable to afford it. He pointed out that the PGI, Chandigarh, charged Rs 15,000 for the same injection, while a cancer hospital in Mullanpur, Punjab, offered it at Rs 30,000. He compared this with Haryana's support, where the government provided Rs 3,000 for patients in the third or fourth stage of cancer. In contrast, Punjab offered Rs 1.5 lakh, enabling patients to receive up to 10 treatments at the PGI.

Chautala demanded an increase in financial assistance for cancer patients, noting that cancer not only affected the patient but devastated the entire family. He urged the government to upgrade district hospitals by following National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) guidelines.

He further recommended that the government provide all seven types of cancer treatment, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, laparoscopy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy and stem cell transplants. He stated that offering these treatments could significantly help in preventing cancer and improving the quality of care of the patients.