Top News

New Delhi . The increasing incidence of cancer in Punjab is becoming a serious health challenge for the state. According to available data, one person is dying every 21 minutes due to cancer in the state. During the last five years, there has been an increase of 9.22 percent in the death rate due to cancer. Malwa Belt of the state is among the areas most affected by this disease.

In view of the increasing cases of cancer, the Punjab government has declared it a notified disease. Under this, it has been made mandatory for government and private hospitals to provide information about new cases of cancer and deaths due to the disease to the health department. The objective of this system is to systematically collect data to the disease and prepare treatment and prevention policies based on them.

The number of new cancer cases in the state is also continuously increasing. In the year 2021, 39,521 cancer patients were recorded in Punjab. This number will increase to 40,435 in the year 2022. After this, 41,337 cases were reported in 2023. In the year 2024, the number of patients will reach 42,288, while in 2025 this figure will increase to 43,196.

It is clear from the data of five years that there has been a continuous increase in cancer cases in Punjab. This increase also highlights the challenges facing the health system such as early detection, timely treatment and regular monitoring of patients. According to experts, to deal with any serious disease, reliable data to its prevalence and affected population is very important.

The impact of cancer has been a matter of concern for a long time in the Malwa region. There has been continuous discussion about cases of disease in many parts of this area. Issues such as timely testing facilities, access to treatment and awareness of the disease also remain important in rural areas.

After cancer gets the status of a notified disease, the information received from hospitals can help in understanding the actual situation of the disease in the state. This will enable a more systematic analysis of cancer cases, number of patients and death data in different regions.

Now the challenge before the government is not limited to just collecting data. Amidst the increasing cases, early detection of cancer, expansion of testing facilities, availability of treatment and providing timely medical assistance to patients will also be necessary. Increasing access to health services in rural and remote areas can play an important role in this direction.

The number of deaths due to cancer in Punjab is also raising concerns. The estimate of one death every 21 minutes highlights the severity of the impact of this disease. In such a situation, the need for a comprehensive health strategy regarding prevention, early detection and treatment is being felt.

Neighboring Haryana has also recorded an increase in cancer cases and deaths. In the year 2021, 30,015 cases were reported there, which increased to 33,395 in 2025. Cancer deaths increased from 16,543 to 18,387 during the same period. It is clear from this that the increasing burden of cancer in many states of North India is becoming a big challenge for the health system.