Supreme Court directs 19 states and UTs to declare cancer a notifiable disease

A Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Surya Kant, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, and Justice V. Mahana issued a directive on Tuesday to 19 states and union territories that have not yet classified cancer as a notifiable disease. The court mandated that these regions must take steps to implement the notification and submit compliance affidavits. This order follows a public interest litigation seeking to make the reporting of cancer cases mandatory across the country to improve patient identification and treatment.

Currently, 17 of India's 36 states and union territories have already declared cancer a notifiable disease, a measure previously recommended by a parliamentary standing committee. By requiring all regions to adopt this policy, the court aims to establish a uniform national framework for tracking cancer cases. This initiative is intended to facilitate earlier detection and more effective medical intervention for patients nationwide.