The International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) and Tata Memorial Centre have conducted a study highlighting the heavy non-medical financial burden faced by cancer patients in India. The analysis, based on patients with gastric and pancreatic cancers at Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai, shows that individuals travel an average of 1,475 km for treatment, with non-medical expenditures often exceeding medical costs. The findings reveal that mean non-medical health expenditure (NMHE) was Rs 88,433 for patients in public hospitals, with 83.2% experiencing Catastrophic Non-Medical Health Expenditure (CNMHE) defined as treatment-related costs surpassing 10% of annual family income.
Patients traveling over 1,500 km incurred a mean NMHE of Rs 107,040, nearly double those traveling under 500 km. Gastric cancer patients traveled an average of 1,697 km, while pancreatic cancer patients…
