Any initiative related to cancer control must not be implemented in silos and needs to be taken up with the "whole of government and whole of society" approach, Union Health Secretary said on August 23.

Lessons from India's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic can serve as valuable beacons in the targeted policies for the prevention and treatment of cancer, Union Health Secretary said at a national workshop on 'Roadmap for Cancer Treatment' here, according to a Health Ministry statement.

"Any initiative related to cancer control and management cannot be implemented in silos but needs to be taken up with 'whole of government and whole of society' approach as has been our learning from the management of the pandemic since the issue is crosscutting across various government and non-government management spheres," he said.

The pandemic has taught us that health is not the exclusive responsibility of only the Union Health Ministry but jointly addressed by various ministries at the Centre and through state governments, he said. He also laid stress on primary and secondary healthcare centres, not just tertiary care facilities.

Tertiary health facilities of ministries such as labour, railways, steel and atomic energy can be pooled to make a significantly large and sustainable network of healthcare for an exponential impact on healthcare delivery, he noted.

Highlighting the paradigm change that the National Health Mission (NHM) has recently undergone, he noted that not only primary and secondary healthcare services but referrals with linkages to tertiary health services are being provided through a comprehensive end-to-end delivery solution, the statement said.

Union Health Secretary identified framing, sharing and adherence to evidence-based common standards of protocols for critical care management as another learning for cancer management. These can guide the restructuring and refinement of the National Cancer Control Programme of the Union Health Ministry, he noted.

Capacity building of healthcare providers is required through regular training, retraining and skill enhancement for cancer care. He mentioned that capacity building is also to be ensured with clear communication with all stakeholders and feedback procedures.

"We need to adapt and promote health technology...such as telemedicine for improved access to care," he stressed. Various hub and spoke models implemented in some states such as Assam, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar can be emulated by other states, along with detailed mapping of the facilities with the granular planning of healthcare delivery, he suggested.

The one-day workshop organised by the Health Ministry had sessions on infrastructure and human resources for cancer care, affordability of cancer care and best practices, the statement said.