Anand Says TN For Early Detection To Tackle Respiratory, Cancer Diseases
Tamil Nadu will focus on preventing diseases and detecting respiratory ailments and cancer at an early stage, rather than waiting until patients develop serious complications, Minister N. Anand has said.
Chennai: Tamil Nadu will focus on preventing diseases and detecting respiratory ailments and cancer at an early stage, rather than waiting until patients develop serious complications, Minister N. Anand has said.
Addressing the Indian Chest Congress 2026 in Chennai, he said advances in modern medicine had helped remove much of the fear once associated with diseases such as tuberculosis. However, the real measure of medical progress would be ensuring that quality healthcare reached people living in the remotest villages of the state.
“Prevention is better than treating a disease after it occurs. Our goal should be to identify diseases through early screening and provide appropriate treatment immediately,” he said.
The minister said the state government had allocated around Rs. 3,357 crore to the health sector for 2026-27, underscoring its focus on strengthening public healthcare.
He said the government had also increased the ceiling for free treatment under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme from rs.5 lakh to rs.25 lakh, a five-fold increase, enabling economically weaker patients to access advanced treatment at private hospitals.
To strengthen cancer prevention and early detection, the government had launched a Cancer Mission with an allocation of rs.673.44 crore, under which screening camps were being conducted at the district level, he said.
Indian Chest Congress 2026, the first annual national congress of Spice India (Society for Pulmonology, Interventions, Critical Care and Sleep), held under the theme ‘Precision Pulmonology for a Resilient India’, the congress served as a national platform for scientific exchange, clinical learning and collaboration, with Kauvery Hospital as the institutional partner.
Anand said an integrated cancer treatment centre with advanced facilities was being established at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai at an estimated cost of rs.471.80 crore. The facility would comprise a ground floor and 14 floors.
A regional cancer centre would also be established at Madurai Rajaji government hospital at an estimated cost of rs.84 crore, comprising a ground floor and eight floors, he said.
Dr. Darez Ahamed, secretary, department of health, medical education and family welfare, stressed the need for stronger government-private sector collaboration to address India’s burden of COPD, tuberculosis, asthma and other respiratory diseases.
He also called for greater expertise in interventional pulmonology and critical care across medical colleges and district hospitals, along with integrating COPD care into the public health system.
Dr. Koushik Muthu Raja Mathivanan, organising secretary, Indian Chest Congress 2026 and president, Spice India, said the congress aimed to bridge scientific innovation with the realities of Indian healthcare by promoting knowledge-sharing, empowering young clinicians and translating advances into accessible and meaningful patient care.
Leading respiratory specialists, clinicians, researchers and healthcare professionals from across India took part in the congress.
