Assam has achieved the highest cancer survival rate in the country, with 62 per cent of patients surviving the disease, well above the national average of 40 per cent, Health Minister Ashok Singhal told the State Assembly.
Replying during the Budget Session, Singhal credited the achievement to the state’s decentralised cancer care network, large-scale screening programmes and improved access to specialised treatment across Assam.
The minister said the state has built an integrated cancer care system that covers early detection, diagnosis, treatment, palliative care, rehabilitation and research. Instead of concentrating services in a few cities, Assam has expanded cancer treatment facilities to different regions of the state.
According to Singhal, Assam has planned a network of 17 cancer hospitals, of which 12 are already operational. These include the State Cancer Institute in Guwahati, comprehensive cancer care centres in Dibrugarh, Barpeta, Silchar and Diphu, besides diagnostic and day-care centres in Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Darrang, Tezpur, Kokrajhar, Golaghat and Tinsukia.
The government has also launched an extensive cancer screening programme with a target of examining 1.24 crore people. So far, around 47 lakh residents have been screened, leading to the early detection of more than 900 cancer patients. Singhal said the rise in identified cases reflects improved screening, enabling doctors to diagnose cancer at Stage I and Stage II instead of at advanced stages, thereby improving survival rates.
In a major announcement, the Health Minister said Assam is set to become the first state in India to introduce proton therapy, an advanced form of radiation treatment for cancer patients. The facility is expected to become operational within the next few weeks.
Sharing the performance of the Assam Cancer Care Network, Singhal said that up to May 2026, the network had registered 2,26,923 patients, including 71,517 newly diagnosed cancer cases. During the period, hospitals under the network provided 5,85,533 outpatient consultations, treated 48,659 admitted patients, administered 1,56,973 chemotherapy sessions, delivered radiation therapy to 17,408 patients, performed 9,563 major surgeries, and conducted over one lakh CT scans. Most of these services were provided free of cost under government healthcare schemes.
The minister added that the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has recommended Assam’s cancer care model for replication in other states. He said several states, including Bihar, have already studied the Assam model for possible implementation.
