Reduction of Cost of Cancer Treatment through Government non Government Interface

Abstract

Treatment of cancer is not only expensive but is a long term proposition. Affordable cost of treatment remains a challenge in India, and perhaps other developing countries, in spite of rapid socio-economic development. The Indian Institute of Head Neck Oncology, a charitable cancer institute, decided on three pronged approach reaching out to far off places in India and develop a low cost charitable treatment facility. Our activities over last 30 years were facilitated by support from national and international agencies/organisations. Grants from World Health Organisation on 7 occasions, Australian Agency for International Development on three occasions, Government of India on three occasions, the government of Japan, the Oxford international centre for palliative care and more than a dozen organizations and agencies helped us to successfully make a: (1) Sustained effort to detect cancers early. (2) Train health care workers on early detection. (3) Get equip mental support. (4) Develop a charitable cancer facility and thereby offer low cost treatment. (5) This experience enabled the task of cost reduction through government, non-government agencies’ interface; which can perhaps be replicated in other developing countries.