To facilitate better planning of treatment, prevention, policies, and research on cancer, Karnataka has made cancer a notifiable disease. By this notification, Karnataka becomes the third State in the country to be notifying cancer.
Punjab and West Bengal are the other two States who have done so.
This means that it has now become binding on all doctors across the State to report to the Karnataka Cancer Control Committee in case they come across a patient suffering from the disease. This will help in getting a clear picture of the quantum of the problem, said Health Minister U.T. Khader here on Monday. The government has laid an elaborate plan to implement this notification, he added.
One in 12 vulnerable
Making an announcement on this, Mr. Khader said the National Cancer Registry programme estimates that one in 12 people in Karnataka may be vulnerable to develop cancer. This has become a major concern in society, he said. With the government notifying cancer, all hospitals across the State, both government and private, will have to mandatorily report any case of cancer they come across within a period not exceeding one week from the date of diagnosis.
This notification is applicable to all industries, railways, civil, army and other Central and State government medical agencies and hospitals, and medical institutions other than State-run medical institutions, including Ayurvedic and Unani.
The government would constitute Karnataka Cancer Control Committee that would oversee the implementation of the notification effectively. The Additional Deputy Commissioner, the District Health Officer, and the Family Welfare Officer are responsible to ensure adherence to this notification by medical institutions.
In the event of a doctor or a medical institution failing to comply with the rules, they would be liable for punitive action as decided by the committee.
An exclusive software to monitor Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) implementation was launched. The Home Department, with the help of National Informatics Centre Karnataka State unit, has developed this state-of-the-art software to monitor COTPA implementation by various departments throughout the State.
