New Delhi, February 14 – In a major step to strengthen cancer care in India, the government has announced the establishment of Day Care Cancer Centres (DCCs) in district hospitals across the country over the next three years, according to an official statement.
The decision was announced in the Union Budget 2025-26, with 200 centres planned to be established during 2025-26 itself.
The initiative aims to bring chemotherapy services closer to patients’ homes and reduce the pressure on large tertiary hospitals.
Cancer treatment usually requires multiple hospital visits over several months. Patients must undergo regular chemotherapy cycles and follow-ups to achieve effective results.
For many people, especially those living in rural areas or from economically weaker sections, frequently travelling to city-based tertiary hospitals is both physically demanding and financially burdensome.
Expenses related to travel, accommodation, food, and loss of daily wages add to this burden. Patients undergoing chemotherapy are often weak and require a caregiver to accompany them, which further increases expenses and income loss for families.
By offering chemotherapy at district hospitals, the new centres are expected to significantly reduce travel distances and associated indirect costs. This will help families save money and reduce disruptions to their daily lives.
Before approving the new centres, the government conducted a detailed gap analysis in consultation with states and Union Territories.
The selection of districts was based on the prevalence of cancer, patient load, and availability of infrastructure.
The programme has also focused on training and capacity building. Medical officers and nurses from selected districts underwent four to six weeks of hands-on training at institutions such as government medical colleges, regional cancer centres, and State Cancer Institutes.
The training covered chemotherapy administration, dose calculation, management of side effects, emergency handling, infection control, safe handling of drugs, and patient counselling.
This has helped ensure that district-level centres maintain proper safety and quality standards.
Another key feature of the initiative is the free provision of essential chemotherapy drugs at public health facilities.
Since medicines constitute a major part of cancer treatment costs, providing them free of charge will reduce out-of-pocket expenses for patients.
The government has also strengthened procurement and supply systems to ensure regular availability of these medicines.
