Jaipur, Aug 1 (IANS): Rajasthan unit BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Madan Rathore has expressed concern over "the continuous increase in the number of cancer patients year after year across the country".

Rathore raised the matter in the Rajya Sabha regarding the increasing number of cancer patients. He has also appealed to the Central government to provide affordable and accessible treatment to cancer patients.

In response to a question asked by Rathore in Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Pratap Rao Jadhav informed the House in a written reply that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is serious about health services.

"... especially for the treatment of serious diseases like cancer, Prime Minister Modi has provided relief to the people of the country by providing treatment under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. Not only this, treatment is free or is being made available at concessional rates in the country's district hospitals, medical colleges, central medical institutions like AIIMS.

"At the same time, to make medicines available to cancer patients at concessional rates, the maximum rate of 131 anti-cancer scheduled medicines has been fixed and, on the other hand, the trade margin of 43 anti-cancer non-scheduled medicines has also been limited. At the same time, 83 products are also being made available for the treatment of cancer at Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendras by the Central government," the reply read.