The Government of India has operationalized 466 Day Care Cancer Centers (DCCCs) across the country. These centers function within district hospitals and other government health facilities to provide outpatient chemotherapy services.
The announcement follows the Union Budget 2025–26, in which the government outlined a plan to establish Day Care Cancer Centers in district hospitals nationwide over a three-year period. The currently functional 466 centers mark a significant step toward that target.
Day Care Cancer Centers are specialized units within government hospitals that administer outpatient chemotherapy and supportive cancer treatment. Patients receive scheduled chemotherapy infusions and return home the same day, unless complications require referral.
These centres focus on:
Chemotherapy administration
Monitoring for immediate adverse effects
Supportive medication management
Referral coordination with tertiary cancer hospitals
This decentralized model reduces the need for repeated hospital admissions.
Cancer incidence in India continues to rise, increasing the demand for accessible oncology services. Many patients previously travelled long distances to tertiary care centers for chemotherapy cycles.
Chemotherapy requires repeated sessions at fixed intervals. Travel-related delays can disrupt treatment schedules and increase out-of-pocket expenses.
By establishing Day Care Cancer Centers at district hospitals, the government aims to:
Improve continuity of cancer treatment
Reduce travel burden and indirect costs
Strengthen public sector oncology services
The 466 operational centers are distributed across various states and Union Territories. Most are located within district hospitals, which serve as secondary-level healthcare facilities under the public health system.
The long-term plan aims to establish such centers in all districts over three years, ensuring broader geographic coverage.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is overseeing the implementation of Day Care Cancer Centers in coordination with state governments. Authorities used cancer registry data and gap analysis to identify districts with higher disease burden and limited treatment access.
Medical officers, nurses, and healthcare staff receive training in chemotherapy administration and management of adverse effects. Centers follow referral protocols that allow patients to access higher-level facilities if complications occur.
The model functions through coordination between tertiary cancer institutes and district hospitals. Patients often receive diagnosis and treatment planning at specialized centers. They then complete scheduled chemotherapy cycles at the district-level Day Care Cancer Centre.
This system reduces indirect expenses such as travel, accommodation, and wage loss. It also decreases overcrowding at tertiary hospitals, allowing them to focus on complex cases.
Availability of chemotherapy drugs within public facilities further supports affordability for patients enrolled in government health schemes.
The government has stated that it will continue expanding the network of Day Care Cancer Centers to cover all districts within the planned timeframe. Ongoing monitoring, workforce training, and drug supply management will determine how effectively the programme sustains service delivery.
The operationalization of 466 Day Care Cancer Centers represents a structural shift toward decentralized cancer care. By integrating chemotherapy services into district hospitals, the public health system is working to make treatment more accessible while maintaining referral links to specialized cancer institutions.
(Rh/SS/MSM)
