📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Devasish Nandy
Health
MP-elect Devasish Sharma seeks cancer to be declared notifiable disease, urges aid for middle‑class patients in Assam
✍️ India Today NE
🗓 14 Oct 2026, 12:45 PM
👁 5
Assam MP‑elect Devasish Sharma has called for cancer to be listed as a notifiable disease and for financial assistance schemes targeting middle‑class patients.
Assam's newly elected member of Parliament, Devasish Sharma, presented a formal proposal urging the central government to classify cancer as a notifiable disease. He argued that such a designation would enable systematic data collection, facilitate early detection, and improve allocation of medical resources across the state.
Sharma highlighted the growing incidence of cancer in Assam and noted that current reporting mechanisms are fragmented, leading to gaps in epidemiological understanding. By making cancer notifiable, health authorities could track trends more accurately and respond with targeted interventions.
In addition to the reporting framework, the MP‑elect called for a dedicated financial aid scheme for middle‑class families, who often bear a disproportionate share of treatment costs. He suggested a subsidy model that would lower out‑of‑pocket expenses without compromising the quality of care.
The proposal is slated for discussion in the upcoming parliamentary session. State health officials have been briefed but have not yet issued an official response, leaving the feasibility of the measures under review.
Sharma highlighted the growing incidence of cancer in Assam and noted that current reporting mechanisms are fragmented, leading to gaps in epidemiological understanding. By making cancer notifiable, health authorities could track trends more accurately and respond with targeted interventions.
In addition to the reporting framework, the MP‑elect called for a dedicated financial aid scheme for middle‑class families, who often bear a disproportionate share of treatment costs. He suggested a subsidy model that would lower out‑of‑pocket expenses without compromising the quality of care.
The proposal is slated for discussion in the upcoming parliamentary session. State health officials have been briefed but have not yet issued an official response, leaving the feasibility of the measures under review.