Cancer Now A Reportable Disease In Odisha; Check Details

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has declared cancer a ‘reportable disease’, making it mandatory for all hospitals, labs, healthcare facilities and institutions providing diagnostic treatment and palliative care to report the diagnosed cases.

In a notification, the Health and Family Welfare department said estimation of cancer burden and its distribution with respect to time and place is important to mobilise resources for prevention and control, and reducing the mortalities attributed to it.

“Cancer cases are rising in the state and the prevalence of particular types of cancer in some geographical areas needs proper attention. Which is why the government found it imperative that all diagnosed cancer incidences should be reported to the appropriate authority for early detection and treatment of disease,” Health Secretary Shalini Pandit said on Wednesday.

Doctors, pathologists and medical establishments in Odisha are required to report a cancer case within two weeks from the date of diagnosis. “All such facilities concerned will have to send patients for pathological confirmation when they become cognizant of the existence or suspicion of cancer in patients. The pathologist after confirming the same would then send the information in prescribed format,” the notification read.

The health facilities reporting or notifying cancer will also maintain a prescribed register and accordingly document information for all new cases diagnosed or being treated. This is applicable to all medical colleges, all state and central government hospitals/dispensaries and autonomous medical institutions, including Ayurveda, Unani and any other facilities.

The data received on cancer cases would be used to frame policy on prevention and control of the disease, expansion of treatment facilities, research and training centres in the state, it added.

Notably, about 50,000 cancer patients are identified in Odisha every year but many of these cases go unreported.

It is also pertinent to mention here that the state government has already started Population Based Cancer Registry (PBCR) in Khurda district from NISER Bhubaneswar campus with support from Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, and the Department of Atomic Energy.