Kartikeya Sharma backs Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, says India is ready to fund a decisive fight against rising cancer burden

New Delhi:
Rajya Sabha MP Kartikeya Sharma today endorsed the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, calling it a timely intervention at a moment when India’s public health indicators demand bold, well-financed action.
He said the Bill reflects a clear policy shift: healthcare is no longer viewed as a cost, but as a strategic investment in the nation’s future. By placing a cess on harmful products with proven links to severe health outcomes, and then channeling that revenue directly into health programmes, the government has created a model that is both fair and future-oriented.
India’s cancer challenge is becoming a national security concern
Sharma noted that India records over 14 lakh new cancer cases every year and nearly 9 lakh deaths, according to the National Cancer Registry Programme. Between 1990 and 2023, cancer incidence has risen 26 percent and mortality 21 percent, a trajectory that, he said, demands urgent structural intervention.
He pointed out that breast cancer alone accounts for 27 percent of all female cancer cases in India, while cervical cancer continues to claim 70–77 thousand lives every year, with more than 80 percent of detections happening in late stages. In Haryana, cervical cancer contributes 12–14 percent of all women’s cancer cases, affecting rural and economically weaker women who often have limited access to regular healthcare services.
PM Modi’s vision: Swasth Nari, Shashakt Parivar
Sharma underlined that the philosophical backbone of the Prime Minister’s broader vision of Swasth Nari Shashakt Abhiyaan. The idea is simple yet transformative: if women are healthy, families get stronger; and when families are strong, the nation becomes resilient.
This, he said, is not just a slogan. It is the governing spirit behind some of the most impactful health and social-welfare initiatives of recent years.
NaMo Shakti Rath: A model for community-driven women’s healthcare
Sharma elaborated that this national philosophy inspired him to conceptualise and launch the NaMo Shakti Rath in Haryana. The initiative brings preventive healthcare to the doorstep of women who often cannot spare the time, money or mobility to get screened for Breast and Cervical cancers – diseases often considered to be a taboo to even talk about.
Here’s the thing. While most programmes ask people to come to healthcare, NaMo Shakti Rath takes healthcare to the people.
The project will operate 20+ fully equipped mobile vans, supported through a combination of MPLADS funds and personal contributions. Each unit is staffed with doctors, trained technicians and field teams who conduct cancer screenings, basic diagnostics and awareness sessions across villages. The vans have already covered dozens of gram panchayats, enabling thousands of women to get screened early and understand their health risks.
Sharma said the response on the ground has been eye-opening. Women who had never undergone a single screening in their life are now getting tested in their own village, often within minutes of stepping out of their home. Many cases requiring further medical attention have been identified early, which is exactly where India’s fight against cancer must begin.
He added that NaMo Shakti Rath is not just a health intervention. It is a demonstration of what happens when parliamentary intent meets on-ground execution. It mirrors the core philosophy of the Bill: invest in early detection, invest in awareness, and invest in the health of India’s women to secure the nation’s future.
Policy meets ground reality
Sharma stressed that parliamentary policies gain meaning only when they reach the people who need them most. MPs, he said, must ensure that schemes originating in Delhi translate into real outcomes in districts, blocks and villages. For him, NaMo Shakti Rath is his personal commitment to bridge that gap.
He concluded by saying that a nation cannot be secure if its people are unwell. Strengthening health security strengthens national security. This Bill, he said, will become the backbone of India’s next-generation screening, prevention and awareness programmes.
“With this legislation, India is taking a firm step toward a healthier, safer and more confident future,” Sharma said.