Hyderabad: In a landmark move for public health, the Telangana government has declared cancer a notifiable disease, making it mandatory for all diagnosed cases to be reported to a centralised system. A statewide digital portal has also been launched to track, monitor, and analyse cancer cases across Telangana, aiming to strengthen surveillance and improve patient care.
Mandatory Reporting Across Healthcare Facilities
The government order, issued on April 6, requires all cancer cases — both in situ and invasive — to be reported within one month of diagnosis. The mandate applies to:
Government and private hospitals, including medical colleges, AIIMS, ESI, and military hospitals
Clinics, nursing homes, hospices, and AYUSH hospitals
Pathology and radiology laboratories
NGOs, insurance companies, and other healthcare providers
Registrar of births and deaths offices
Statewide Cancer Registry
The new portal will serve as a central Cancer Registry for Telangana, consolidating data on incidence, prevalence, and mortality. Officials say this comprehensive database will help:
Monitor cancer trends across districts
Support early detection and preventive screening
Enable evidence-based policymaking and research
Strengthen palliative and rehabilitative care services
Hospitals empanelled under the Rajiv Aarogyasri Health Scheme will be automatically registered, while other facilities must register online to submit case data.
Centre of Excellence to Validate Data
The Mehdi Nawaz Jung Institute of Oncology and Regional Cancer Centre (MNJIORCC), Hyderabad, has been designated as the Centre of Excellence to scrutinise and validate reported cases before sharing them with the Indian Council of Medical Research’s National Cancer Registry, ensuring data accuracy and reliability.
Why This Move Matters
Cancer has become a leading cause of illness and death in Telangana. Previously, data collection was fragmented across institutional registries. This initiative will create a robust, state-level surveillance system, allowing authorities to plan screening programs, allocate resources effectively, and improve patient outcomes.
Looking Ahead
Officials say the mandatory reporting and centralised registry will provide reliable, real-time data to drive cancer prevention, treatment, and research in Telangana. The state aims to become a model for data-driven healthcare policy, improving both early diagnosis and quality of care for cancer patients.
