6 J&K districts among over 200 distts of country to get DCCCs in 2025-26

Jammu, Jul 25: Six districts of Jammu and Kashmir are among over 200 districts across the country where Day Care Cancer Centres (DCCCs) will be established in the District Hospitals during the current financial year (2025-26).

In J&K, these units will be established in Jammu, Shopian, Samba, Reasi, Ramban and Kishtwar District Hospitals. In Ladakh Union Territory also, DCCCs will be set up in Leh and Kargil District Hospitals.

These DCCCs will be established in District Hospitals as per availability of space and logistics; however, based on the feasibility and as per State or UT proposals, DCCCs can be established in other Government health facilities also.

Unit cost for establishment of DCCCs may be up to Rs. 1.49 Cr as per requirement and gaps at that facility, this has been stated by the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

For Financial Year 2025-26, as per the Union Minister, more than 200 Day Care Cancer Centres (DCCCs) have been approved for establishment in 30 States and UTs, including J&K, across the country.

As per the announcement of Union Budget 2025-26, the government plans to set up Day Care Cancer Centres (DCCCs) in all district hospitals in the next 3 years

“Fund requirement is fulfilled by the State Resource Envelope (RE) of National Health Mission (NHM) and proportion of States and UTs will be as per norms of NHM,” Jadhav stated.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, according to the Minister, conducted a national gap analysis using Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) cancer registry data and planned for establishment of Day Care Cancer Centres (DCCCs) in consultation with States, as per announcement in the Union Budget 2025-26. High-burden districts were prioritized, and proposals were submitted by the States and UTs and finalized by the National Programme Coordination Committee (NPCC) to optimize resources and avoid duplication.

Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu Principal Prof (Dr) Ashutosh Gupta, while speaking to Greater Kashmir, lauded the move as a “very good decision, aimed at bolstering existing facilities and infrastructure to facilitate Cancer patients.”

“Though these facilities are already available in GMC Rajouri, GMC Kathua, GMC Doda besides GMC Jammu, the government decision to add to these facilities is a welcome move. It is a good initiative as it will add to already existing facilities and the people won’t have to travel far and wide for chemotherapy,” he stated. Dr Ashutosh stated that these DCCCs would offer day care; Palliative care with services of trained people besides chemotherapy medicines. “DCCCs will be attached to tertiary care centres,” he said.