Stats IQ: Cancer Burden in India

Context: Minister of State for Health said cancer cases in India will cross the 15 lakh mark by 2025.

Highlights of Cancer Burden in India

Estimated Numbers

• Indian Council of Medical Research in December last year had estimated that cancer cases are likely to increase from 14.6 lakh in 2022 to 15.7 lakh in 2025 in India.
  • In the last decade, cancer cases have risen from around 10 lakh in 2012 to 14.6 lakh in 2022.

Economic Burden of Cancer Treatment

• Parliamentary Standing Committee report on cancer, released in September 2022, expressed concern about the inaccessible and increasing cost of cancer treatment.
  • According to the National Sample Survey (NSS) 2017-18 report, the average medical expenditure per hospitalisation case for cancer treatment was Rs 68,259 in urban areas.

Poor Insurance Penetration

• According to the NSS 2017-18 report, more than 80% of hospital bills are paid out of pocket.

Age Wise Impact

• NSS data shows that 153 per 1 lakh people in the 45-59 age group and 300 per 1 lakh in the 60-69 age group reported hospitalisation due to cancer.
  • Cancer often strikes around the retirement age of an earning member, which leads to mounting debt burden.

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