Initiative aligns with Union Budget 2025 vision to expand grassroots oncology care
New Delhi: The Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI) has initiated a dedicated training program for doctors and nursing staff under the Prime Minister’s Cancer Day Care Centre (DCCC) initiative, aimed at strengthening cancer care infrastructure at the district level.
As part of this rollout, daycare cancer centres will be established at four key hospitals in Delhi — Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, Janakpuri Super Speciality Hospital, Rao Tula Ram Memorial Hospital, and Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital.
This initiative follows Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s February 2025 Budget announcement, which proposed the setup of daycare cancer centres in all district hospitals nationwide. In line with this vision, the Centre has already begun surveying district hospital infrastructure to enable phased implementation over the next three years.
First Training Batch Kicks Off
The first batch of training includes four General Duty Medical Officers (GDMOs) and four Nursing Officers, each representing one of the designated hospitals. The program, described by DSCI Director Dr. Diwakar as the first-of-its-kind in Delhi, focuses on providing hands-on experience in chemotherapy drug handling, patient monitoring, and clinical management, based on Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) guidelines.
Structured Training Through November 2025
Training will be conducted in batches until November 2025, gradually building a skilled workforce equipped to handle cancer treatment at the grassroots level. Dr. Diwakar emphasized that this approach is expected to decentralize cancer care and significantly improve early intervention, especially in rural and underserved areas.
He added, “We will first stabilize the patients at our centre, and then transfer them to these daycare centres where trained staff and doctors will oversee chemotherapy procedures.”
A Key Step in Health Infrastructure Expansion
The move is seen as a milestone in strengthening oncology services across India, complementing the Union Budget 2025 allocation of Rs 99,858 crore to the Health Ministry, with a strong focus on expanding day care cancer centres.
