"Close the Care Gap": Making Cancer Care Affordable, Accessible, and Inclusive

Indian Council for Medical Research states that 1 in 9 Indians will develop cancer during their lifetime. 1 in 68 men will develop lung cancer and 1 in 29 women will develop breast cancer.1 According to the WHO, cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, accounting for 1 in 6, or 10 million deaths in 2020.

Cancer sets an emotional and financial burden on the country's population as well as the healthcare system.This was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic as cancer patients were unable to receive adequate care due to an acute shortage of hospital beds.

According to Dr. Senthil J Rajappa,MD DNB DM,Senior Medical Oncology , Head Of the Department in Basavatarakam Indo American Cancer Hospital & Research Institute, Hyderabad Early detection of cancer is a game changer as it substantially lowers the treatment cost and results in more lives saved."

In India, awareness about cancer is low, especially among women. Conditions such as breast, uterine and cervical cancer are still considered a taboo as women seldom discuss their reproductive health issues.

Cancer awareness generates a positive behavioural change about women's health at a community level. While talking about the significance of cancer awareness Dr. Senthil J Rajappa, said, "Due to misinformation, people fear the word 'cancer' and are reluctant to go for screenings and regular check-ups." Financial constraints also result in delay in seeking medical intervention at an appropriate time.

As the financial burden of cancer care treatment is higher compared to other chronic diseases, government and other insurance schemes can play a key role in lowering the out-of-pocket expenditures. At the same time, the pharmaceutical industry needs to play a pivotal role in providing the best-in-class treatment at lower costs to make cancer care affordable and accessible for all.

Many Indian pharmaceutical companies produce affordable generics for India and rest of the world. Cancer care in India needs critical attention. Apart from the government and pharmaceutical industry, there is an unmet need of increased societal participation in cancer awareness to develop a robust cancer control plan.