2 days ago
Delhi’s Free Cancer Hospital Leaves Patients Paying for Care
Delhi State Cancer Institute is supposed to provide affordable cancer care.
Many patients say they still have to pay private centres for tests, scans and medicines.
One woman said she spent more than Rs 1.2 lakh on a cancer drug over two years.
Another patient’s family spent more than Rs 4 lakh on treatment and tests.
A daily-wage worker said a PET-CT scan costing Rs 12,000 would use most of his monthly income.
The hospital has expensive machines, but some have not been working because of staffing or supply problems.
More than 40% of its approved jobs are vacant.
Doctors say this makes treatment slower and limits the number of patients they can see.
The Delhi government says it is checking the machines and hiring specialists to fix the problems.
Patients at Delhi State Cancer Institute say they are being referred to private centres for medicines, scans and tests.
Some patients reported spending thousands of rupees on PET-CT scans, dialysis, cancer drugs and other care.
Several major machines at the hospital, including PET-related and radiotherapy equipment, have reportedly remained unused for years.
More than 40% of the hospital’s 814 sanctioned posts are vacant, while patient numbers have fallen from about 1,500 to 500 daily.
Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh said the government would repair equipment, accelerate recruitment and restore the institute’s full capacity.
- Who
- Patients, doctors and hospital sources at Delhi State Cancer Institute; Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh also responded.
- What
- Patients say the hospital is referring them outside for tests, scans and medicines despite its role as a public cancer facility, while equipment and sections of the hospital remain unused.
- Where
- Delhi State Cancer Institute in Dilshad Garden, Delhi, and nearby private diagnostic centres in the DDA market.
- When
- The report describes conditions in 2025, including a surgery in January 2025 and recruitment interviews held on August 5.
- Why
- Equipment has reportedly remained non-functional or underused because of staff shortages, supply problems and administrative delays.
Patients and Doctors
Delhi Government and Hospital Officials
Affordability of treatment
Patients and Doctors
Patients say referrals to private centres for scans, tests and medicines leave them paying costs they expected the government hospital to cover.
Delhi Government and Hospital Officials
Health Minister Pankaj Singh said the government’s priority is to ensure that cancer patients in Delhi are not forced to choose costly private treatment.
Why equipment is not being used
Patients and Doctors
Patients and doctors point to unused machines as a reason they must seek care elsewhere; one doctor also alleged that administrative changes may have benefited private centres.
Delhi Government and Hospital Officials
An official attributed the unused medical cyclotron to a lack of qualified manpower, while Singh cited vacancies and supply issues and said machines had begun functioning gradually.
Hospital staffing and performance
Patients and Doctors
Doctors said vacancies have compromised treatment, increased waiting times and reduced the number of patients the institute can handle.
Delhi Government and Hospital Officials
The government said specialist recruitment had begun and that it was prioritising nuclear medicine and radiotherapy departments.
Key facts
- Hospital
- Delhi State Cancer Institute, located in Dilshad Garden, has 236 beds.
- Staff vacancies
- More than 40% of the institute’s 814 sanctioned posts are vacant.
- Patient numbers
- Sources said daily patient numbers have fallen from about 1,500 to about 500.
- PET-CT cost
- Private PET-CT scans cited in the report cost between Rs 8,000 and Rs 30,000.
- Unused equipment
- A medical cyclotron installed in 2017 has reportedly been unused since 2018.
- Radiotherapy equipment
- A dual-photon-energy linear accelerator bought for Rs 9.2 crore has reportedly been non-functional since 2020.
- Government response
- The Delhi government said it would seek machine-status reports, set repair timelines and fast-track specialist recruitment.
Quotes
Sabra
A 48-year-old breast-cancer patient from Jaffrabad receiving treatment at DSCI.
“They are asking me to get the test done at a private centre. The security guard said he could get it done at a discounted price of Rs 12,000. But how can I afford it?”
indianexpress.com
“Till my husband supports me, if he refuses to spend money on a dying woman, I’ll have nowhere to go.”
indianexpress.com
Pankaj Singh
Delhi Health Minister who discussed planned repairs and recruitment at DSCI.
“Our priority is to ensure that no cancer patient in Delhi is forced to choose costly private treatment, and we are committed to restoring DSCI to full functional capacity at the earliest.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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