Chandigarh
Haryana Health Minister Arti Singh Rao on Friday said that the state government is working is on completely eliminating anemia and cancer from Haryana. The number of tests related to cancer screening will be increased to ensure early detection, she said while interacting with the media persons in Chandigarh.
Expressing concern over the rising number of cancer patients, Rao said that cancer patients and one attendant are being provided free travel facilities in government buses for treatment. In addition, patients suffering from Stage-3 and Stage-4 cancer are being given financial assistance of Rs. 3,000 per month. To further strengthen cancer treatment facilities, a 50-bed Atal Cancer Care Centre has been established at the Civil Hospital, Ambala Cantt, equipped with advanced facilities such as mammography, a CT simulator, and a linear accelerator. This centre is providing comprehensive cancer care not only to patients from Haryana but also from neighbouring states.
She further informed that there has been a historic increase in the health budget. While the health budget stood at Rs. 2,646 crore in 2014-15, it has been enhanced to Rs. 9,942 crore in 2025-26, reflecting an increase of about 275 percent.
Rao further said that to address the shortage of doctors, appointment letters have been issued to 746 Medical Officers and 845 Ayurvedic Medical Officers. Additionally, under the National Health Mission (NHM), 346 Medical Officers and 154 specialists are currently rendering their services. She added that MRI scan facilities are available in five districts. Memorandums of Understanding have already been signed for Panipat and Kurukshetra, while tenders have been floated for the remaining nine districts.
Responding to a question, the Health Minister said that Senior Citizen Corners and physiotherapy units are functional in all district hospitals of the state. To reduce out-of-pocket expenditure for the general public, free dialysis services have been provided to Haryana residents since October 17, 2024. Essential medicines are being made available free of cost at all government health institutions.
In reply to another question, she stated that to strengthen maternal and child health services, separate and modern Mother and Child Health (MCH) wings are being established in all district hospitals. The state aims to set up fully equipped, independent MCH wings in every district hospital so that comprehensive reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health services can be delivered under one roof. Construction of the MCH wing has been completed in Panchkula, work in Panipat is at the final stage, while construction in Faridabad and Sonipat commenced in September 2025. Administrative approval of Rs. 20 crore each has been granted for similar wings in Palwal, Sirsa and Kaithal.
Health Minister said that under the Anemia-Free India campaign, work is being carried out at a rapid pace in the state, as a result of which the anemia rate in Haryana has declined from 59 percent to 53 percent. This improvement has helped the state move from fifth to third position in the national rankings. She further informed that under the Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), Janaushadhi Kendras are operational in the civil hospitals of all 22 districts, enabling patients to access medicines at affordable prices.
The state government has also taken significant steps in the field of food safety. Food testing laboratories are operational in Chandigarh and Karnal, while five mobile food testing laboratories have been deployed across various districts. In addition, clean and safe street food hubs are being developed in Ambala, Karnal, Hisar and Gurugram.
The Health Minister said that the Haryana Government’s objective is to build a strong, people-centric and modern healthcare system so that every citizen can access quality health services in a timely manner without financial hardship.
She reiterated that the state government remains fully committed to providing affordable, accessible and quality healthcare to its citizens. Continuous efforts are being made by the Health Department to strengthen infrastructure, human resources, modern equipment and the supply of essential medicines to ensure effective control over both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
