“The incidence of cancer in India’s urban areas is around 100 per 1 lakh while it is 45 in rural areas said Dr Rajendra A Badwe, director, Tata Memorial Centre.
As incidence of cancer rise, treatment costs is a major concern. In urban areas of the US and the UK, numbers are as high as 350,” explained Dr Badwe indicating that as Indian cities grow, the rate of cancer is expected to go up.
A three-day medical conference on Universal Healthcare will organise by The Tata Memorial Centre in January.
“We are looking at two components — access to care and affordability. What healthcare should be a basic human right, how much of it can be privatised, and an ideal model to achieve balance,” are some of the issues to be discussed, said Dr Rajendra A Badwe, director, Tata Memorial Centre (TMC). Insurance companies will also be roped in to discuss best models for different socio-economic groups.
The conference planned for January 27 to 29 and representatives from over 25 countries, state health secretaries, NGOs, patient group members and pharmaceutical companies are expected to attend the event.
The core agenda is to raise the issue of the rising healthcare costs with focus on cancer care.
“The question is whether the system is delivering value for money,” added Dr Sudeep Gupta, Deputy Director, ACTREC, Kharghar.
TMC is already working with 89 cancer centres across the country to make cancer expertise accessible and affordable to all. The conference in January coincides with the hospital’s 75th anniversary, and is being hosted in association with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.
Representatives from several countries as diverse as Bangladesh and Cuba will discuss their health models.
Inputs:agencies
