Context
- The Supreme Court has asked 19 States/Union Territories that have not yet notified cancer to take steps towards declaring it a “notifiable disease”, following a PIL seeking uniform and mandatory reporting of cancer cases across India. The issue arises from the absence of a nationwide mandatory cancer-reporting mechanism.
What is a Notifiable Disease?
- A notifiable disease is a disease whose occurrence must be reported to designated public-health authorities by law.
- Notification enables the government to collect systematic data, monitor disease trends, identify high-burden areas and formulate targeted interventions.
- Important: Notifiable does not necessarily mean communicable. Cancer is a non-communicable disease (NCD), but mandatory reporting can still be used for surveillance and planning.
Why is Cancer Notification Important?
- Early detection: Helps identify disease patterns and high-risk populations.
- Disease surveillance: Provides more comprehensive data on incidence, mortality and geographical distribution.
- Resource allocation: Helps governments plan cancer hospitals, diagnostic facilities, specialists and medicines.
- Targeted prevention: Allows identification of regional risk factors such as tobacco use, pollution and occupational exposures.
- Policy formulation: Enables evidence-based cancer-control strategies.
Current Status in India
- Cancer is NOT a nationally notifiable disease in India.
- However, several States/UTs have independently made cancer notifiable.
- Telangana became the latest state in April 2026, joining the existing group and bringing the total to 17 States/UTs.
- Therefore, the absence of a uniform national mechanism creates gaps in cancer reporting.
- Why is this a problem?
- India’s cancer surveillance relies significantly on the National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP), but registry coverage is limited and does not provide a complete real-time picture of the country’s cancer burden.
About National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP)
- Established: 1981
- Implemented by: ICMR – National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (ICMR-NCDIR).
- Purpose: Collection and analysis of data on cancer incidence, mortality and patterns.
- Uses Population-Based Cancer Registries (PBCRs) and Hospital-Based Cancer Registries (HBCRs).
- A major limitation is that registry-based coverage does not encompass the entire Indian population.
Q. With reference to cancer being declared a “notifiable disease” in India, consider the following statements:
1. A notifiable disease necessarily has to be a communicable disease.
2. Notification of cancer can help in systematic disease surveillance and resource allocation.
3. The National Cancer Registry Programme is implemented by the ICMR.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: B. 2 and 3 only
• Statement 1 is Incorrect: A notifiable disease need not necessarily be communicable; cancer is a non-communicable disease but can be made notifiable for surveillance.
• Statement 2 is Correct: Mandatory reporting can improve cancer surveillance, data quality and health-resource planning.
• Statement 3 is Correct: The National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP) is implemented under the ICMR-National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (ICMR-NCDIR).