Shimla – Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presented the Himachal Pradesh Budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, with a focus on bolstering the healthcare sector and addressing pressing issues like the rising incidence of cancer in the state.
Chief Minister Sukhu proposed an allocation of Rs.3,415 crore for the health sector in the upcoming fiscal year. Recognizing the alarming increase in cancer cases, the Chief Minister emphasized the need for advanced medical facilities to prevent and treat cancer in the state.
To combat the growing cancer crisis, the Chief Minister announced the establishment of a “State Cancer Institute” at ‘Dr. Radhakrishnan Medical College, Hamirpur,’ equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment facilities, with an estimated cost of Rs.100 crore. Additionally, a comprehensive study, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), will be conducted to understand the reasons behind the surge in cancer cases.
A crucial step in providing care to cancer patients includes the establishment of “Cancer Day Care Centres” in district hospitals and selected ‘Adarsh Swasthya Kendras.’ These centers will offer chemotherapy facilities with dedicated beds, and chemotherapy medicines will be included in the essential medicine list to alleviate financial burdens on patients.
The budget allocates Rs.21 crore for the installation of a Linear Accelerator (LINAC) machine at Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, aimed at advancing cancer treatment. Efforts will also be intensified to expedite pending works at the PGI Satellite Centre in Una, with a focus on completing ongoing projects promptly.
The introduction of ‘Hospital Management Information Service (HMIS)’ in 53 health institutions will enhance patient treatment based on their medical history. Additionally, a “State level Scrub Typhus Research Unit” will be established at a cost of Rs.1 crore in response to the increasing cases of Scrub Typhus in the state.
‘Lactation Management Centres’ will be set up in Dr. Rajendra Prasad Medical College, Tanda, and Kamla Nehru Hospital, Shimla, to encourage breastfeeding in newborns. The budget also addresses the need for X-ray facilities in areas lacking health institutions, which will be provided through private practitioners.
By the end of 2026, each district will have an ‘Integrated Public Health Lab’ with comprehensive testing facilities. Construction of new nursing colleges in Nahan, Chamba, and Hamirpur, along with upgrading the General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) school in Dr. Rajendra Prasad Medical College, Tanda, to a Nursing College, is also included in the budget.
The Chief Minister acknowledged structural and operational issues in existing welfare schemes like ‘HIMCARE’ and ‘SAHARA.’ A ‘Guest Worker Screening Project’ will be initiated for migrant workers in industrial areas, and necessary reforms will be implemented to ensure timely and effective benefits to those in need.
