Govt decides to provide free treatment to cancer patients below 14

KATHMANDU: The government has decided to provide free treatment to cancer patients under the age of 14.

Minister for Health and Population, Pradip Paudel, took the decision to provide free treatment to children at Kanti Children Hospital in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital in Bhaktapur and BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital in Chitwan.

According to Miniter’s Paudel Secretariat, free treatment will be available from November 16.

Minsiter Paudel had taken the initiative to provide free cancer treatment to children right after he assumed office in the ministry.

According to the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, over 71% of deaths in Nepal occur from non-communicable diseases. About 11% of them die due to cancer.

Data shows out of 22,000 new cancer patients diagnosed in 2022, over 14,000 have died. About 1,500 children are diagnosed with cancer every year.