He urged state governments to prioritise population-based screening for women over 30 and to enhance diagnostic infrastructure.
Punjab Records 13,299 Female Cancer Fatalities; 5-Year Trend Shows Rising Incidence
A deepening health crisis has been highlighted by new Union Health Ministry data, revealing that 31,792 women across Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh lost their lives to cancer between 2021 and 2025. The figures, presented in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, indicate a grim average of 17 deaths per day, with breast cancer identified as the leading cause, accounting for 56% of these fatalities.
The report, compiled by the National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (NCDIR), shows a consistent rise in both mortality and new diagnoses. Punjab bore a significant burden, recording 13,299 deaths due to breast, cervical, and ovarian cancers over the five-year period. In Punjab specifically, annual breast cancer deaths climbed from 1,418 in 2021 to 1,457 in 2025, while new cases rose by 2.8% to 3,388 annually.
Health experts are calling for an immediate shift in strategy. Dr Rakesh Kumar Gupta, President of the Strategic Institute for Public Health Education and Research, emphasised that the focus must move from late-stage care to early intervention. He urged state governments to prioritise population-based screening for women over 30 and to enhance diagnostic infrastructure at district hospitals.
The Union Ministry confirmed that technical and financial aid is being provided under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD). To improve regional access, 297 new district day-care cancer centres have been approved for the 2025–26 fiscal year, alongside new State Cancer Institutes and tertiary facilities.
Source: Times of India
