National Workshop Charts Roadmap to Reinforce Cancer Care and Urban Health in India

Delivering the keynote address, Union Health Secretary Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava reiterated that expanding cancer services is a key national priority, especially as India faces a rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

The Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare convened a two-day National Workshop on Strengthening Cancer Care and Urban Health on 27–28 November 2025 at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi. The high-level consultation brought together Principal Secretaries, NHM Mission Directors, State/UT Nodal Officers, senior health administrators, clinicians, and national experts, reinforcing the Government of India’s commitment to building a robust, equitable, and future-ready public health ecosystem.

The workshop was formally inaugurated by Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary (Health & Family Welfare), who outlined the government’s strategic vision for the next phase of health system strengthening—centered on decentralised cancer care, improved urban health governance, and stronger service delivery mechanisms.

---

Day 1: Accelerating the National Agenda on Cancer Prevention and Care

Delivering the keynote address, Union Health Secretary Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava reiterated that expanding cancer services is a key national priority, especially as India faces a rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). She highlighted the Union Budget 2025–26 announcement to establish Day Care Cancer Centres (DCCCs) in every district, a game-changing initiative designed to:

• Decentralise chemotherapy and routine cancer care

• Reduce patient load at tertiary cancer hospitals

• Improve access to diagnostics and follow-up treatment

• Strengthen continuity of care from screening to advanced management

The Health Secretary stressed that the National Programme for Prevention and Control of NCDs (NP-NCD) will serve as the backbone of this expansion—streamlining community screening, district-level management, and nationwide adoption of standardised treatment protocols.

---

Release of Major National Health Guidelines and Frameworks

During the inaugural ceremony, several critical policy documents were launched to support States and UTs in scaling cancer and NCD services. These included:

• NP-NCD Training Modules for workforce strengthening

• FRU Guidelines 2025 (First Referral Unit) to improve emergency and essential care

• Operational Guidelines for Strengthening Laboratory Services under the Free Diagnostics Initiative

These documents will guide health personnel on standardisation, implementation, digital monitoring, and quality assurance across various health facilities.

---

Technical Sessions on Cancer Models, Digital Tools, and Integrated Screening

The workshop included in-depth presentations on:

• District-level DCCC models and their operational workflows

• Standard Treatment Workflows for common cancers such as breast, cervical, and oral cancers

• Use of digital dashboards and monitoring platforms for programme implementation

• Integration of viral hepatitis screening into cancer and NCD services

• Strengthening quality assurance through the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS)

Experts from Tata Memorial Centre, NHSRC, AHPGIC Odisha, ICMR, and NCDC offered clinical, programmatic, and operational insights to align national and state strategies.

---

States Share Best Practices to Strengthen Cancer Care Delivery

Delegations from States including Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Madhya Pradesh showcased best-practice models in:

• Community-based cancer screening

• Increasing screening uptake through ASHAs and urban health workers

• Local innovations in diagnostic access

• District oncological outreach

• Improved referral pathways and multidisciplinary care

These case studies provided replicable examples for scaling rapid improvements across other States/UTs.

A national panel of leading oncologists and programme leaders emphasised key priorities such as:

• Strengthening early detection mechanisms

• Enhancing district-level cancer care capacity

• Improving coordination between Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and higher facilities

• Standardising treatment workflows for uniformity and quality

---

Day 2: Urban Health Strengthening Under the National Urban Health Mission

The second day of deliberations shifted focus to the urban health agenda, anchored under the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM). Cities across India face unique healthcare challenges due to:

• Rapid urbanisation

• High density of vulnerable populations

• Migrant and informal settlements

• Fragmentation of urban governance structures

Strategic Directions for Urban Health

Addressing the gathering, Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava called on States/UTs to proactively adopt responsive and city-specific health strategies, learning from global and national experiences. She emphasised that urban health systems must be resilient, integrated, and equitable, especially for underserved communities.

Ms. Aradhana Pattnaik, Additional Secretary & Mission Director (NHM), highlighted the need to strengthen:

• Primary healthcare infrastructure in cities

• Human resource deployment and skill development

• Urban health governance frameworks

• Partnerships with Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)

• Emergency preparedness at the city level

Mr. Saurabh Jain, Joint Secretary (Policy), MoHFW, presented the revised draft NUHM framework, aimed at enhancing service delivery efficiency across urban health facilities.

---

Priorities Identified for Strengthening Urban Primary Healthcare

Key areas of focus discussed included:

• Upgrading infrastructure at Urban Primary Health Centres

• Strengthening referral linkages between ULBs, health departments, and hospitals

• Leveraging digital technologies for patient tracking and data-driven decision-making

• Improving convergence across schemes for sanitation, nutrition, and public health

• Scaling successful city models for urban poor healthcare

States showcased innovative approaches such as mobile medical units, community outreach clinics, digital urban health dashboards, and partnerships with civil society organisations.

---

A Renewed National Commitment to Health Equity and Resilience

The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to:

• Finalising and refining the NUHM framework

• Upgrading governance mechanisms

• Strengthening real-time monitoring systems

• Ensuring that urban primary healthcare becomes accessible, affordable, equitable, and resilient

Special emphasis was laid on improving services for the poorest, migrant workers, urban homeless, women, and children, ensuring no citizen is left behind in the rapidly evolving health landscape.