A senior Congress leader from Udupi urged Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to provide adequate treatment facilities to cancer patients, including abolition of GST on drugs, hassle-free process for members of ESI and other schemes.
In an open letter, Janardhan Bhandarkar said he was undergoing treatment for leukemia, considered a rare disease, in the ICU of Kasturba Hospital, Manipal since three months and was on the path of recovery. During the process of his treatment, he understood that cancer is no longer a rare disease, but has become widespread across Karnataka and India.
“I was bewildered with the number of people approaching hospitals for cancer treatment while undergoing care at Kasturba Hospital,” Mr. Bhandarkar said in his letter on November 12. As such, the government should constitute expert committees at the State and district levels; or if such committees exist, should revive them. These committees should liaison with hospitals treating cancer to arrange speedy treatment, and free treatment for economically weaker people.
Lifesaving drugs for cancer treatment were priced exorbitantly and were out of reach of the common man, Mr. Bhandarkar said adding despite the Central Government reducing GST on these drugs from 12% to 5%, prices continue to remain on the higher side. As such, the State Government should persuade the GST Council to abolish tax on these drugs in the larger interest of people suffering from cancer.
Mr. Bhandarkar wants rules governing members of the employees State insurance scheme should be simplified to help cancer patients from lower income group. ESI centres should have helpdesks to facilitate submission of claims and bills, he said. Family members of patients were made to visit ESI centres frequently because of inadequate information, he added.
The former city municipal council member said it is the responsibility of the government to provide healthcare facility to its citizens, and sought immediate proactive action.
