Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo, today said that the Cancer institutes and Oncology departments in Jammu and Kashmir are functioning as Day Care Centres exclusively for the administration of chemotherapy for solid tumours and these services are being provided strictly in accordance with the mandatory guidelines issued by Tata Memorial Centre (TMC).
The Minister said this while replying to a question raised by Legislator R.S Pathania in the House today regarding Cancer Treatment Institutes.
She informed that all the standard treatment protocols are being meticulously followed for treatment of Cancer patients and there is no violation of any mandatory TMC guidelines, adding that chemotherapy services are being delivered as per the approved norms under the AB-PMJAY Scheme.
The Health Minister also informed that the Drugs which are part of Cancer Care of Health Benefit Package Ayushman Bharat PMJAY/SEHAT Scheme are being procured through JKMSCL. She added that all procurements of chemotherapy and supportive drugs are carried out strictly in accordance with the prescribed financial rules, procurement guidelines and established procedures through JKMSCL.
She also said that in case of non-availability of drugs, local purchases are resorted to only to meet the emergent clinical requirements in the interest of patientcare and such procurements are duly supported by the requisite technical justifications and approvals as per the prescribed norms.
The Minister informed that during the past two years, requests seeking relaxation or modification of existing Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs), wherever received, have been examined on merit and processed strictly as per the prescribed procedure and in consultation with the competent technical authorities.
While responding to the supplementary questions of Legislator, the Minister said that all the procurements are being done as per the standard protocols and rules in the health department.
