Declare Cancer A Notifiable Disease: SC To 19 States, U.T.s, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• The Supreme Court has directed 19 States and Union Territories to declare cancer a "notifiable disease" to ensure early detection and proper patient care.
• A Bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant issued the order after noting that 17 of the 36 States and UTs had already notified cancer.
• The directive aligns with recommendations from a Parliamentary Standing Committee report on cancer care.
• The Court questioned the Central government on the lack of uniform mandatory guidelines for all States and UTs.
• The ruling stemmed from a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Dr. Anurag Srivastava.

Detailed Insights:

• The Supreme Court's order was passed on August 11, 2026, emphasizing the need for a uniform policy across the country.
• The PIL highlighted that the absence of mandatory reporting leads to fragmented data, poor surveillance, and "policy paralysis" in addressing India's cancer burden.
• The petition also advocated for a unified, real-time digital cancer registry, drawing parallels with the CoWIN platform used during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• While health is primarily a State subject, both the Centre and States possess concurrent authority to notify diseases.
• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, in its 139th Report titled "Cancer Care Plan and Management: Prevention, Diagnosis, Research & Affordability of Cancer Treatment," had recommended classifying cancer as a notifiable disease.
• The committee observed that the lack of mandatory notification contributed to under-reporting of cancer deaths and hindered accurate data collection.
• Declaring cancer a notifiable disease is expected to facilitate the creation of a robust database, aid in analyzing risk factors, support the implementation of screening programs, and optimize resource allocation for cancer care.
• The National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) already stresses early diagnosis and reporting, but its implementation has been inconsistent across states.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Notifiable Disease: A disease that healthcare providers are legally required to report to public health authorities for systematic surveillance, early detection of outbreaks, and public health interventions.
• Public Interest Litigation (PIL): A legal action initiated in a court of law to protect or enforce public interest, often filed by an individual or group on behalf of the general public.
• State Subject: Under the Indian Constitution, a legislative domain where state governments primarily have the authority to make laws, though the Centre can also legislate on certain aspects.
• CoWIN Platform: A digital platform developed by the Indian government for managing the COVID-19 vaccination program, including registration, appointment booking, and certificate generation.