NEW DELHI: Lieutenant-Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu addressed the annual seminar of the Indian Cancer Society on the theme “Bridging Innovation and Affordability in Cancer Care”. Speaking on the occasion, the L-G said cancer care has changed significantly over the years, with better diagnostics, targeted therapies, improved surgical techniques and new possibilities emerging through artificial intelligence.
He said medical progress must be measured not only by what is possible in a hospital or laboratory, but by who can actually access it, noting that a cancer diagnosis brings not just a medical challenge for patients and their family, as well as emotional stress, uncertainty and financial burden.
Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark that “we believe that healthcare should be accessible, available and affordable to all,” the L-G said affordability cannot be treated as separate from innovation and that the two must move together.
The L-G termed early detection as one of the most effective ways of making cancer care more affordable, saying that screening and awareness by using new medical technology can improve outcomes and reduce costs. He said breast, cervical and oral cancer screening, public awareness of warning signs and better referral systems can help ensure patients enter the healthcare system at an earlier stage.
He said Delhi’s strength as home to some of the country’s leading medical institutions offers a strong foundation. He called for strengthening the connection between communities, primary healthcare, diagnostic services and specialised hospitals, so that this expertise reaches every corner of the city.
The L-G said India has an opportunity to become a leader in developing advanced, affordable healthcare solutions suited to its own needs, with universities, hospitals, start-ups, researchers and medical technology companies working on new approaches in diagnostics, imaging, telemedicine and AI-assisted healthcare.