The Uttar Pradesh government has admitted that every year around 14,700 children are diagnosed with cancer in the state.
However, only 30 per cent of these children are able to reach the cancer treatment center while the remaining 70 per cent have no access to care within or outside the state.
This disclosure was made by Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department Parthasarathi Sen Sharma while addressing the advisory workshop being held on childhood cancer on Saturday.
Speaking at the workshop organised in collaboration with the National Health Mission and CanKids KidsCan, Sharma said the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC) has set a target of a 60 per cent survival rate for a low-income country like India by 2030.
“After achieving this goal, it will save the lives of additional 10 lakh people. Besides, to achieve 60 per cent survival, 100 per cent child care will have to be provided,” he said.
He said there was a need to increase testing centers and upgrade them. There are preparations to provide facilities for follow-up to the patients at the Community Health Centers (CHC) level.
Dr. Manoj Shukla of NHM said frontline workers would be trained to take care of cancer-stricken children and check them at the primary level so that cancer can be identified as soon as possible.
Dr. Archana Kumar gave information related to cancer and Poonam Bagai, President of CanKids KidsCan, said that 11 treatment centres, three care centers, and one state care coordination center have been established in the state. The aim is to increase access to care for children to 100 per cent by 2030 and 50 per cent by 2025-26, she said.