Union Health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan here on Tuesday said the Union Government will launch national health insurance scheme for the poor to enable them get costly treatment for various diseases including cancer and heart diseases.
The Union Minister was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of linier accelerator machine Siddharth 3 at Indore Cancer Foundation. Stressing the need of launching crusade against deadly cancer, Dr Harsh Vardhan said everyday one person dies of cancer in the country and tobacco chewing is the main reason for it. lauding Madhya Pradesh Government for enforcing total ban on for tobacco-mixed Rsgutka’ pouches in the State, he said the Centre taking a leaf from the noble initiative of the Madhya Pradesh Government has banned sale of tobacco-mixed gutka in 28 States of the country and an information about the same has been passed on to the World Health Organization.
He said the money being spent by the people on gutka, tobacco, bidi, cigarette and other tobacco related products can help open as many as 12 All India Institute of Medical Sciences in the country. Dr Harsh Vardhan said installation of linear accelerator machine at Indore Cancer Foundation will help people in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. The Centre on its part will also provide further facilities to the Foundation.
Dr Digpal Dharkar of Indore Cancer Foundation said the institute has been doing exceptional services in treatment and diagnosis of cancer patients in the region for the past 27 years. So far the institute has provided free of cost treatment to 2,251 patients.