466 day-care cancer centres now operational across India

New Delhi: More than 450 Day Care Cancer Centres are functional across the country, reflecting a steady expansion and strengthening of district-level chemotherapy services, Union Health Ministry sources said.

The government, in the Union Budget 2025-26, had announced the establishment of Day Care Cancer Centres (DCCCs) in district hospitals across the country over the next three years, with 200 centres to be set up during the current fiscal.

This initiative was introduced in response to the rising burden of cancer and the need to strengthen the public health system so that chemotherapy services are available closer to patients' homes.

"The objective is to decentralise routine cancer treatment and reduce dependence on tertiary hospitals for scheduled chemotherapy," a source from the health ministry said.

Elaborating on it, the source said that cancer treatment typically requires multiple hospital visits over several months. Regular follow-ups and timely chemotherapy cycles are essential for effective outcomes.

For many patients, especially those in rural areas or belonging to economically weaker sections, travelling repeatedly to tertiary hospitals in cities can be financially and physically demanding, he said.

Expenses related to travel, accommodation, food, and loss of daily wages add to the burden.

Additionally, patients undergoing chemotherapy are often weak and require a companion or caregiver during hospital visits. This means that both the patient and the caregiver incur travel costs and often experience wage loss, increasing the overall financial strain on households, the source said.

"By making chemotherapy services available at district hospitals, DCCCs significantly reduce travel distance, indirect expenditure, and disruption to family income, thereby easing the socio-economic impact of treatment," he said.

Sources in the ministry said that before sanctioning new centres, a detailed gap analysis was undertaken in consultation with states and Union Territories based on the cancer burden, patient load, infrastructure readiness, etc.

"Capacity building has been a central element of the programme. To ensure safe and standardised chemotherapy services, medical officers and staff nurses from identified districts underwent structured hands-on training for four to six weeks at mentor institutes identified by the respective state governments," another source informed.

These institutes included government medical colleges, regional cancer centres, state cancer Institutes, and tertiary cancer hospitals with adequate oncology expertise.

Training included chemotherapy administration, patient assessment, dose calculation, management of side effects, emergency response, infection control, safe handling of cytotoxic drugs, biomedical waste management, counselling of patients and caregivers, and referral coordination.

This systematic preparation has strengthened district-level clinical competence and ensured uniform standards of care, he added.

He further said that free provision of essential chemotherapy drugs at public health facilities is another key component of the initiative.

Since medicines account for a major share of cancer treatment costs, ensuring their availability through government supply systems significantly reduces out-of-pocket expenditure, the source said.

Patients are initially diagnosed, and treatment plans are formulated at Tertiary Care Cancer Centres (TCCC), State Cancer Institutes (SCI), or other higher oncology facilities, sources in the ministry said.

The first cycle of chemotherapy will be administered at the mentor institute. Once stabilised and the chemotherapy regimen is finalised, subsequent cycles are administered at the district-level cancer centres, they added.

In case of complications or need for advanced intervention, patients are referred back to the higher centre. This coordinated referral mechanism ensures continuity, safety, and appropriate care at every stage.

The initiative also strengthened existing infrastructure, as functional DCCCs were upgraded with improved facilities, equipment, trained manpower, and drug supply systems, while new centres were added in identified districts.

"At present, 466 DCCCs are functional across the country, reflecting steady expansion and strengthening of district-level chemotherapy services," a source said.

Overall, the DCCC initiative represents a comprehensive and patient-focused reform in cancer care delivery, the source added.