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MP's Cancer Crisis: 80,000 New Patients Annually, Forced to Private Hospitals
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News18•05-10-2026, 10:37
MP's Cancer Crisis: 80,000 New Patients Annually, Forced to Private Hospitals
- •Madhya Pradesh sees approximately 80,000 new cancer patients annually, relying on expensive private hospitals for treatment.
- •The process to install Linear Accelerator (LINAC) machines in all government medical colleges began in March 2022.
- •While machines arrived in Jabalpur, Indore, Gwalior, and Rewa, GMC Bhopal has not received its machine due to fund unavailability.
- •A single Linear Accelerator machine costs around 47 crore rupees, and even after arrival, it takes about 6 months to become fully operational.
- •Currently, only AIIMS and 4-5 private hospitals in Bhopal have LINAC machines, leading to immense pressure on AIIMS and high costs for patients.
Key Questions Answered
GMC Bhopal could not get the Linear Accelerator machine due to the unavailability of funds, even though the hospital had already prepared bunkers for it.
In private hospitals, a treatment session with a Linear Accelerator machine costs between 20,000 and 25,000 rupees, whereas in a government hospital, the cost drops to 5,000 to 6,000 rupees.
Approximately 80,000 new cancer patients are increasing every year in Madhya Pradesh, with data from ICMR-NCRP showing the total reached around 85,000 in 2026.
