Guwahati | The Assam government has announced a major expansion of its cancer care infrastructure, with plans to establish 17 Day Care Cancer Centres across the state to improve access to treatment, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

Replying to a question raised by MLA Bolin Chetia in the Legislative Assembly on cancer prevention and treatment among women and children, Health Minister Ashok Singhal said the initiative forms part of the state’s broader effort to strengthen cancer care services through the Assam Cancer Care Foundation (ACCF).

The minister informed the House that the State Cancer Institute (SCI) in Guwahati has been developed into a premier cancer treatment facility, while specialised cancer centres at Dibrugarh, Barpeta, Tezpur, Nagaon and Silchar are providing advanced oncology services, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, cancer surgery and diagnostic facilities.

To decentralise treatment and bring services closer to patients, the government has approved the establishment of 17 Day Care Cancer Centres across Assam.

According to Singhal, 12 of these centres have already been set up at Dibrugarh, Barpeta, Silchar, Jorhat, Tezpur, Lakhimpur, Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Diphu, Goalpara, Tinsukia and Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). The remaining centres are expected to become operational in phases.

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

The Assembly was also informed that the Assam Cancer Care Foundation has treated 315 children diagnosed with cancer since 2022.

Official data presented in the House showed that 113 paediatric cancer patients received treatment at the State Cancer Institute in Guwahati, followed by 81 at Dibrugarh Cancer Centre, 46 at Barpeta Cancer Centre, 20 at Tezpur, 19 at Darrang, 18 at Kokrajhar, 11 at Lakhimpur, five at Jorhat and two at Silchar.

Highlighting preventive healthcare initiatives, Singhal said the government has intensified awareness and early detection programmes through community outreach campaigns, mobile medical units and Village Health Outreach Programmes (VHOP).

The Assam Cancer Care Foundation is also conducting free cancer screening camps across the state and providing free medicines to eligible beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).

The minister said vaccination programmes are playing an important role in the state’s cancer prevention strategy. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is being implemented to reduce the risk of cervical cancer among adolescent girls, while Hepatitis-B vaccination under the Universal Immunisation Programme is expected to help lower future cases of liver cancer.

Singhal said the government’s objective is to ensure that quality cancer diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care are accessible to citizens across Assam, regardless of their location.

The expansion of the cancer care network, he added, is aimed at reducing the financial and logistical burden on patients while strengthening the state’s public healthcare system and improving long-term health outcomes.