Assam: Bharatiya Janata Party Welcomes Steep Cut in Cancer Medicine Prices

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday welcomed the Union Government's decision to reduce the prices of cancer medicines by up to 96 per cent, which came into effect on November 9.

In a statement, BJP spokesperson Kishor Kumar Bhattacharyya said the move would provide significant financial relief to cancer patients and their families by curbing excessive charges and overpricing.

According to the statement, the price reductions undertaken by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) and the Department of Pharmaceuticals are expected to generate annual savings of around Rs 23,540 crore for patients. The revised prices cover nearly 1,300 medicine brands manufactured by around 85 pharmaceutical companies. Some medicines that earlier cost Rs 27,000 will now be available for Rs 2,700, while those priced at Rs 1.3 lakh will cost Rs 11,000.

The NPPA has prepared a list of 137 medicines with revised prices, which will be available on its official website. Consumers can also check the prices through the 'Pharma Sahi Daam' mobile application. Complaints regarding overcharging or deviations from prescribed prices can be lodged at monitoring-nppa@gov.in or through the toll-free helpline 1800-11-1255.

Bhattacharyya said the decision would benefit Assam, which has the highest cancer burden in the Northeast. The state records around 114 cancer cases per lakh population, against the national average of 97 cases per lakh, the statement said.

He also cited initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, saying the Union Government had taken several measures to make healthcare more affordable.