Struggle for affordable cancer treatment in India continues

Despite efforts to make cancer treatment affordable in India, costs remain a major challenge for ordinary families. According to a report by The Hindu, even with caps on medicine margins, the total cost of treatment and the price of supportive drugs have become unbearable for those with average incomes.

A 45-year-old garment factory worker from Bengaluru Rural is a living example of this struggle. She has been diagnosed with stage IV-A oral cancer. Her treatment process is extremely complex, involving chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, extensive surgery including reconstruction, followed by radiation and further chemotherapy. Beyond the cost of this treatment, the cost of just the medicines and supportive drugs is approximately ₹93,000. Her family's monthly income is only ₹28,000, which has led to their funds running out, and there is a possibility that the final stages of treatment may remain incomplete.

Similarly, a 56-year-old shopkeeper from Mysuru district has been diagnosed with hypopharyngeal cancer connected to the esophagus, which cannot be removed through surgery. After three cycles of chemotherapy, partial improvement has been seen in the disease. Now, immunotherapy is an option, but its cost is very high. Taking immunotherapy every two weeks for the next 2 to 3 months will cost between ₹2.4 lakh and ₹8 lakh. For this person with a monthly income of ₹45,000, spending such a large amount is almost impossible.

These cases show that the prices for cancer treatment are still out of reach for ordinary citizens, causing many patients to be forced to leave necessary treatment midway.