Counting cancer: On making cancer a notifiable disease in India
The article advocates for making cancer a nationally notifiable disease in India, highlighting that currently, only some states have done so. It points out the limitations of existing population-based and hospital-based cancer registries, which cover a small percentage of the population and have an urban bias. The article emphasizes the need for comprehensive data to formulate an effective national cancer control program, especially given the projected significant increase in cancer cases by 2045, and notes that the ICMR-NINE has previously recommended this step.
The article advocates for making cancer a nationally notifiable disease in India, highlighting that currently, only some states have done so. It points out the limitations of existing population-based and hospital-based cancer registries, which cover a small percentage of the population and have an urban bias. The article emphasizes the need for comprehensive data to formulate an effective national cancer control program, especially given the projected significant increase in cancer cases by 2045, and notes that the ICMR-NINE has previously recommended this step.
Exam linkage
GS Paper 2: Social Justice (Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health; Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation).