The treatment of cancer is usually a long process that imposes a lot of financial burden on the patients and their families. To meet this increasingly rising challenge the Government of Arunachal Pradesh has introduced the Chief Ministers Free Cancer Chemotherapy Scheme on 1 August 2017. The plan is supposed to offer free cancer medicines to all qualified cancer patients in the state in order to decrease the cost of treating them and accessing the services of healthcare in good time.
The department of health and family welfare, Government of Arunachal Pradesh administers this welfare programme.
Objective of the Scheme
The primary goals of the scheme are:
- To reduce the financial burden on cancer patients and their families.
- To ensure free chemotherapy for patients suffering from any type or stage of cancer.
- To improve access to essential cancer medicines across recognised government healthcare facilities.
Key Features of the Scheme
Government has signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the TATA Memorial Hospital, Mumbai which is one of the major cancer care centres in India. This arrangement is useful in the procurement of chemotherapy medicines at concessional rates, hence making them affordable and assure of continuous supply.
Important highlights include:
- The scheme covers up to 1000 cancer patients every year.
- Patients receive medicines worth up to โน10 lakh per person per year.
- Treatment support continues throughout the entire course of chemotherapy.
Benefits Provided Under the Scheme
Eligible beneficiaries receive the following:
- Free chemotherapy medicines worth up to โน10,00,000 annually.
- Free medical consultation at designated treatment centres.
- Free counselling and guidance for patients and their families.
- The benefits remain available for the entire duration of the treatment plan recommended by oncologists.
Eligibility Criteria
Only the following group is eligible to apply under this scheme:
- Regular State Government Employees of Arunachal Pradesh and their dependents.
Documents Required
Applicants must submit:
- Aadhaar Card or Voter Identity Card
- Schedule Tribe Certificate (only for APST applicants)
- Address proof document
- Two recent passport-size photographs
Application Process (Offline)
The scheme is enrolled through an offline process. Applicants and their dependents must:
Step 1: Visit a State Tertiary Cancer Centre nearest to the location of the site and meet the nodal officer of the scheme.
Step 2: Gather the recommended application form at the centre.
Step 3: Complete all the necessary points and provide the stringent supporting documents.
Step 4: hand over the filled application form to the subject department.
After the verification has been done successfully, the patient would then be able to start getting the treatment benefits on the scheme.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
๐. ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ฆ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐?
The plan targets to cut down the excessive cost on cancer care and offer free drugs to treat cancer to targeted patients.
๐. ๐๐ก๐๐ง ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ก๐๐?
The scheme was launched on 1 August 2017.
๐. ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ก ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐?
The department of health and family welfare of the Government of Arunachal Pradesh implements it.
๐. ๐๐ก๐จ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐?
The eligibility is done by regular State Government Employees of Arunachal Pradesh and their dependants.
๐. ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ข๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ?
The scheme can benefit up to 1000 patients in a year.
๐. ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ง๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐?
Medicines worth up to โน10 lakh per patient, per year are provided free of cost.
๐. ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐?
The benefits last until the end of the chemotherapy treatment.
๐. ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ฒ?
The applications should be sent offline at the closest State Tertiary Cancer Centre.
Conclusion
The Free Cancer Chemotherapy Scheme by the Chief Minister is an important move in ensuring that cancer care is more accessible in Arunachal Pradesh. The scheme is effective since it provides free access to chemotherapy drugs, consultation, counselling to patients hence lessening the economic burden to family as well as providing uninterrupted and effective treatment care.
For more such scheme updates, guides, and eligibility information, visit GovtSchemes.Blog.
