Cancer-Hit Families Cutting On Basic Requirements, Detects Pbi Uni Study

Cancer-affected families have been pressured to restrain their basic requirements, comprising spending on food, kid care and schooling, in an attempt to provide costly treatment to their sufferers.

The truth came to hand accompanying a study carried out by the Centre for Development Economics and Innovative Studies, Punjabi University, Patiala. Union Finance Ministry’s Department of Economic Affairs provided the financial support to the said project.

Prof Lakhwinder Singh Gill, Prof Inderjeet Singh and Parmod Kumar were the affiliates of the project group.

The concentration was on monetary and financial outcomes for the families having cancer sufferers.

Four villages comprising Kotbhai, Bhaliana, Doda and Channu of Muktsar region where the occurrence of the deadly disease is the maximum in Punjab were chosen to make the investigation.

The Malwa area (Muktsar is also its part) has recently been dubbed as the Punjab’s cancer belt. In a report recently, Punjab administration had disclosed that of the 33,318 cancer linked demises in the state of Punjab over the past 5 years, 14,682 had lost their lives in the Malwa area alone.

Gill added that 136 cases of thelethal disease got covered under the plan. Out of these, 103 lost their lives and 33 were coping with the illness.

Around 62 sufferers were straightly connected to farming, 54 to household jobs and 20 to other works. Only 3 of them had an insurance cover. Of the total cases, 53 had liver cancer, 25 had breast cancer, 19 had blood cancer, and 17 in throat.

During the study, it has been disclosed that 45 of these patients borrowed funds from ‘arhtiyas’ (commission mediators), 26 from friendss, 38 from village property-owners and 16 expended from their personal savings (11 from other sources) for the cure. The research also set uo the truth that a big part of villagers in Malwa still hinge upon arhtiyas for funds. Interestingly, the occurrence of the disease was detected more — 52.21%— amongst females as against 47.79% amongst males in the targeted villages.

The average cost on cancer cure was detected to be Rs 2.75 lakh and average illness length 1.9 years. But, the cure cost varied hinging upon the nature of the cancer.

The cost stood highest at Rs 3.93 lakh among brain cancer patients. However, the important finding of the project was that in order to avail the expensive treatment and pay back the funds taken as loan (for cure), victim families have had to decrease on food, clothing, housing, education and social functions.

Another concerning aspect that came to light was that in case an earning male associate suffers from the disease, the family confronts a lot of complexity in securing advance. The money lenders fear the funds may not be returned after the patient’s demise.

The state administration has taken steps to assist cancer sufferres in their cure, however the average per sufferer amount approved by it is Rs 1.07 lakh. The study group has emphasized on designing a monetary resource back up system for the cancer sufferer families that should cover not only cancer cure but also their basic requirements.

Costly, painful cure –

• The average cost of cancer treatment, as per the Punjabi University study, is Rs 2.75 lakh
• The cure cost stands maximum at Rs 3.93 lakh in case of brain cancer sufferers
• The average illness length after being discovered with the deadly disease is 1.9 years
• The state administration offers an average Rs 1.07 lakh per cancer sufferer
• The research group has advised establishment of a fund for aiding the affected families meet their basic requirements