Cancer Suraksha

Cancer remains a leading cause of mortality in Kerala. Among children, though many types of cancerare curable today, the treatment is often prolonged and expensive. Patients and their families therefore face a dilemma — the painful choice of cost versus care. Several families abandon treatment mid-way, which also contributes to the high mortality rate. As per the estimate of Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, there are 800-850 new pediatric cancer patients every year.

Realizing that cancer is curable among children and that there is an urgent need to support families which are `too poor to afford treatment’, the Government of Kerala has introduced the Cancer Suraksha Scheme on 1-11-2008. Under this scheme, children, under 18 years, would be given free treatment for cancer through designated Government hospitals in the state. This scheme is meant to cover the cost of drugs, investigations, procedures, implants etc. for which Government does not provide free treatment and for which other patients have to pay for. This scheme will not cover rent of pay wards, procurement of expensive drugs, investigations etc. which would not be done in the normal course in similar cases.