On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of India advised States and Union Territories (UTs) that have not yet labeled cancer a “notifiable disease” to consider making the change. During the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation, a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, alongside Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, highlighted the need for a standardized national framework for reporting cancer cases.
The Push for a Uniform Policy
The Chief Justice questioned the Union Government on why mandatory national guidelines couldn’t be established to ensure consistency. In response, Additional Solicitor General Anil Kaushik explained that healthcare falls under state jurisdiction, though he confirmed that 17 States and UTs have already made the classification. The Court directed the remaining regions to review the matter and submit compliance affidavits.
Addressing Undercounted Fatalities
The Court’s directive aligns with the 139th Report from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare. The committee discovered that the lack of mandatory reporting leads to significant undercounting of cancer-related deaths, as fatalities are frequently misclassified as general issues like cardio-respiratory failure. Backing a proposal from the Tata Memorial Centre, the committee stressed that legally mandating the reporting of cancer cases would ensure accurate government tracking.
Benefits of Mandatory Reporting
Creating a robust, national database would provide healthcare authorities with a highly accurate picture of the disease’s prevalence. This data would be instrumental in:
- Analyzing demographic risk factors.
- Designing and implementing effective public screening programs.
- Efficiently allocating medical resources and funding.
To manage this, the committee also suggested developing a real-time web platform—similar to the CoWIN system—to handle cancer registration, data collection, and patient counseling.
Redefining “Notifiable Diseases”
Typically, the “notifiable” label is reserved for infectious illnesses like tuberculosis or dengue, legally compelling healthcare providers to report outbreaks to monitor public health. While cancer is non-communicable, the parliamentary committee argued that mandatory reporting is just as crucial here. Legally requiring all healthcare facilities to report diagnoses and fatalities is the only way to build a comprehensive and accurate national cancer registry.
