How duty cuts in cancer drugs will ease burden for patients, Pg7

Key Highlights:

• The Indian government has fully exempted basic customs duty on 17 cancer-related drugs to make treatment more affordable.
• India saw a 26.4% increase in cancer cases between 1990 and 2023, raising concerns about treatment costs.
• Cancer treatment costs about three times more than the average hospitalization expenditure in India.
• Medicines account for the largest share of medical expenses in both public and private hospitals, especially in rural areas.

Detailed Insights:

• The National Sample Survey (NSS) 2017-18 revealed that cancer patients spend over ₹61,000 per hospital visit, compared to the average ₹20,135 for other ailments.
• In public hospitals, cancer treatment costs about five times more than a standard admission, disproportionately affecting the poor.
• The cost multiplier for cancer treatment in rural public hospitals is 5.5x, higher than the 4.1x in urban public facilities.
• Medicines account for 40% to 50% of total expenses in public hospitals and 20% to 25% in private hospitals, highlighting the impact of duty reduction.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Customs Duty: A tax imposed on goods when transported across international borders.
• Out-of-pocket expenditure: Direct payments made by individuals to healthcare providers at the point of service use.
• Hospitalisation Expenditure: The amount of money spent by a patient during a stay in the hospital.