Telangana makes cancer a `notifiable disease’; what does this mean?
Officials said the government’s decision to notify cancer as a mandatory reportable disease will be supported by a structured system for identifying, treating, and tracking patients across the state.
By - Newsmeter Network
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Hyderabad: Telangana government has declared cancer a `notifiable disease’.
The government has mandated all private and government hospitals to report all cancer cases within a month through a centralized portal to strengthen surveillance and public health planning.
The formal orders were issued by Christina Z. Chongthu on World Health Day on Tuesday.
Officials said the government’s decision to notify cancer as a mandatory reportable disease will be supported by a structured system for identifying, treating, and tracking patients across the state.
Under the proposed system, probable cancer cases will be identified through multiple entry points, including women’s screening services and non-communicable disease (NCD) programmes.
Women screened at Aarogya Mahila Clinics for cervical and breast-related symptoms, as well as individuals flagged during NCD surveys and questionnaires, will be referred for further evaluation.
Once referred to the government general hospitals, diagnoses will be confirmed, and patients will be brought into the treatment system.
The state plans to adopt a hub-and-spoke model for cancer care delivery.
Initial treatment, including the first round of chemotherapy or medical management, will be provided at tertiary centres such as Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) and Mehdi Nawaz Jung Institute of Oncology and Regional Cancer Centre (MNJIRCC).
Subsequently, patients who face difficulty travelling can opt to continue chemotherapy at district-level cancer care centres, improving access to treatment closer to home.
Officials said the approach is designed not only to decentralise treatment but also to build a comprehensive cancer database for Telangana.
The system will map cancer types and patient distribution across districts, helping identify regional patterns, guide research, and improve treatment planning.
The centralised cancer registry, backed by mandatory reporting from both public and private healthcare facilities, is expected to provide real-time data on incidence, prevalence, and mortality, addressing a long-standing gap in public health surveillance.
