A big announcement has been made by the Soren government that has sought to strengthen cancer detection in Jharkhand. The government has come out in the 2026-27 state budget to install mammography machines in every 24 districts in all hospital headquarters to address the increasing cancer cases in the state.
The number of breast cancer cases reported among women, according to health officials, has been on the rise, and this has prompted the government to increase diagnostic facilities. Mammography is a modern X-ray screening tool that is very effective in identifying the presence of breast cancer at an early stage, normally before the symptoms manifest. Early treatment leads to a great outcome in treatment and survival.
In the state government budget, the health sector has managed to set aside 200 crore of money on cancer prevention, diagnostics, and treatment. This not only incorporates the mammography machines but also other diagnostic equipment such as PET and CT scanners. The relocation will help in lessening the distance patients have to travel to larger cities to get a cancer diagnosis, and thus put off treatment and make it costly.
The primary point in enhancing the survival of cancer is early detection. More people will receive access to timely screening as the mammography machines will be available in every district headquarters, said a senior official of the Jharkhand Health Department. The project belongs to the larger program of modernizing healthcare facilities throughout the state, such as the increase in both urban and rural facilities for diagnostics and treatment.
The past ten years have also recorded an increase in cases of cancer in Jharkhand, with the most common ones being breast, lung, and oral cancers. Scholars indicate that awareness creation regarding screening and the availability of diagnostic instrumentation are important measures that can tame the disease.
The move by the government will help thousands of people living in the country, particularly the women in semi-urban and rural areas, who have been limited in accessing cancer screening. Health officials also intend to organize awareness programs to be carried out and training programs to be carried out to make sure that the new machines will be effectively used and people will be educated on the topic of early detection.
This budget announcement is in line with the interest that the state has in developing healthcare services and responding to the increasing health challenges. By equipping the district hospitals with mammography machines, Jharkhand will bring advanced cancer diagnostic facilities closer to the population and provide measures to decrease the mortality rates due to early detection.
By introducing these mammography units, the Soren government is optimistic that cancer diagnosis would be more affordable and accessible to the residents of the state in general, and this would be a great step to improving healthcare in the state of Jharkhand.
