News Desk, News Nation 360 : On World Cancer Day, Apollo Cancer Centres, the Indian Cancer Society, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and Family Physician Associations launch the national campaign "Unify to Notify." To counteract the disease's threat, the campaign calls for the Indian government to declare cancer a sickness that requires notification. India is witnessing a growing cancer burden, with more than 14 lakh new cases annually, which is projected to reach 15.7 lakh by 2025. To effectively address this challenge, experts are advocating for cancer to be declared a notifiable disease across the country. This will allow for the capturing of real-time data and proper reporting on cancer prevalence, making epidemiologic analysis for general treatment protocols possible and feasible through targeted interventions. This will improve the accuracy, efficiency, and accessibility of cancer treatment, thereby strengthening India's general contribution to global oncology research and care. While 15 Indian states have already done so, its implementation promises to be nationwide. This national-level notification was demanded after a 2022 recommendation by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare to the Rajya Sabha. This "Unify to Notify" campaign, has further stressed the value of the move by showing how every cancer case counts and how every patient matters in seeking better cancer care. It calls upon the Indian government to present the requisite bill in both Houses of Parliament in the upcoming session of the budget. This would bring India in line with global best practices, as more than 12 countries, including the US, England and Wales, and several others, already recognize the critical importance of mandatory cancer reporting. Dr. Arunabha Sengupta, Hony. Secretary of the Indian Cancer Society, Kolkata, stated that the Indian Cancer Society is adamantly in favour of this effort to make cancer a disease that requires notification. By taking this action, they can close the gaps in their cancer monitoring system and improve cooperation between healthcare practitioners. Apollo Cancer Centres has been at the forefront of offering all-encompassing cancer care, and they think that by sharing the news, they can all work together to improve cancer care. To monitor cancer incidence, death, and survival rates, they may make sure that every case of the disease is reported and recorded by making it a notifiable disease.
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