Rajasthan Charts Path for Standardized Cancer Care Through Multi-Stakeholder Workshop

“The Government of Rajasthan remains strongly committed to bolstering healthcare infrastructure and delivering better cancer outcomes for our people. Our increased health budget allocation demonstrates this resolve to expand access and improve quality of care across the state. Initiatives like developing state-specific Standard Treatment Guidelines are timely and critical for creating an equitable cancer care ecosystem,” said Shri Gajendra Singh Khimsar.

Deliberations during the workshop covered key areas including early detection and screening programs, access to advanced therapies such as immuno-oncology and precision medicine, sustainable financing mechanisms through schemes like Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY and Mukyamantri Ayushman Arogya Yojana (MAA Yojana), and the vital role of public-private partnerships in bridging existing gaps.

Experts at the workshop emphasized the need for greater emphasis on public-private partnerships to effectively address existing gaps in cancer care pathways, development of a robust referral mechanism in the state based on the capabilities and infrastructure available in both public and private sectors, and establishment of state-specific Standard Treatment Protocols for cancer care to ensure uniformity and better patient outcomes across all levels of healthcare.

Major General Subhash Pareek (Retd.), Executive Director, BMCHRC, emphasized the need for strong institutional collaboration, stating that building an effective cancer care ecosystem requires a unified, patient-centric approach rooted in clinical excellence and standardized practices.

Dr. Monika Puri, CCO, Roche, underscored the value of adopting global best practices and robust implementation frameworks.

“Bringing the best of innovations in immuno-oncology and precision medicine has limited value if they do not reach the right patient at the right time. We need strong collaboration between government, industry, academia and civil society to focus on early detection, awareness, screening, and standardized treatment protocols across all levels of care. Industry is ready to partner on value-based and outcome-based models to make advanced cancer care more accessible and effective in Rajasthan,” she said. 

Dr. P R Sodhani, Chair of one of the key panel discussions, highlighted the practical way forward: “To strengthen comprehensive cancer care, we must have greater public-private partnerships covering service delivery, infrastructure, human resources, digital systems, and seamless information sharing. When all stakeholders come together, we will successfully achieve our goals of standardized and high-quality treatment for every patient. This collaborative spirit is essential for the roadmap ahead.”

The workshop concluded with a collective commitment from all stakeholders to develop and implement Rajasthan-specific Standard Treatment Guidelines. A detailed roadmap with clear milestones is expected to be finalized in the coming months. This initiative represents a major step toward creating a more coordinated, equitable, and future-ready cancer care ecosystem in the state.