GUNTUR: The State government is taking all necessary action to prevent cancer in the State, said Health Minister Vidadala Rajani during the National Cancer Grid Andhra Pradesh State Chapter Annual meeting at NATCO Cancer Care Center at Guntur GGH here on Friday.
The experts discussed the implementation of NCG guidelines for common cancers to achieve affordable evidence-based cancer care for all under AB-PMJAY Dr. YSR Aarogyasri scheme. Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that the state government under the leadership of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, included all cancer treatments under the Aarogyasri scheme and increased the number of empanelled hospitals from 919 to 2,275.
The government also allotted Rs 600 crore under Aarogyasri for the cancer treatment of over 2.8 lakh patients in the financial year 2022-23. Over 8.23 lakh cancer patients received treatment worth Rs 1,706.77 crore from 2019 to 2020. Along with this, in the first phase, the latest equipment worth Rs 120 cr has been set up at seven medical colleges to provide quality treatment for cancer patients and another Rs 120 crore was allotted in the second phase.
A 100-bedded cancer hospital with Rs 107 crore is being constructed at Kadapa so that patients do not have to rush to other places for treatment. She also called on the experts to cooperate with the state government in implementing NCG guidelines for the benefit of the patients.