Punjab government to provide cashless cancer treatment for patients below 18

In a one-of-its-kind special awareness programme, Punjab government on Friday announced a cashless cancer treatment scheme that will cover all cancer patients up to 18  years of age.

Under the Chief Minister Cancer Relief Fund scheme, Rs 1.5 Lakh will be allocated to the cancer patients for the treatment. Earlier, the focus was only placed on adults for such cashless treatments.

Making this announcement during a state-level workshop on ‘paediatric oncology stakeholder sensitisation’, state health minister Brahm Mohindra said, "The government is committed to providing tertiary health services to each and every child of the state suffering from cancer. We have commenced the first-of-its-kind special awareness programme to ensure health security.", reported Hindustan Times.

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The health department is also carrying out special training to medical officers, staff nurses and auxiliary nursing midwives (ANMs) to conduct tests concerning cancers, especially among children and women in rural areas, the minister was quoted as saying.

"We have already implemented the plan to strengthen facilities at government medical colleges in Patiala and Amritsar and other cancer hospitals to provide quality tertiary health services to the affected children", he further added.

The Punjab Department of Medical Education and Research has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a non-profit organisation CanKids, that will organise a car rally across Punjab next week to generate more awareness.