Utilisation of oncology procedures under AB-ArK see over a six-fold rise in last six years

Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka sees a six-fold rise in oncology procedures, with high cancer burden in Karnataka.

Utilisation of oncology procedures under the Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka (AB-ArK) has seen over a six-fold rise in the last six years. From 9,328 pre-authorisations approved under the flagship health scheme in 2018-2019, the number has shot up to 60,301 in 2024-2025, according to data from the Health Department.

Karnataka has a high cancer burden with around one lakh new cases reported every year. The State has an estimated cancer prevalence of around 2.35 lakh cases, according to the Population Based Cancer Registry at the State-run Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology in Bengaluru. The cumulative risk for developing cancer in their lifetime is one in seven for men and one in six for women in Karnataka, according to doctors..

The State is providing tertiary care for oncology procedures under the health scheme and a total of 109 hospitals, including 96 private hospitals, are empanelled under Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust (SAST), the nodal agency that is implementing AB-ArK. As many as eight government medical colleges and 22 private medical colleges are also empanelled for oncology specialty under SAST. 

However, empanelled hospitals for oncology are present only in 21 districts and people from Bidar, Yadgiri, Vijayanagara Koppal, Chitradurga, Chickballapura, Ramanagara, Kodagu, Chamarajanagar and Chikkamagaluru have to travel to other districts for cancer treatment.

A total of 2.61 lakh pre-authorisations have been approved under the scheme for an amount of ₹1,301.92 crore from 2018-2019 when the scheme was launched.

In 2024-2025, a total of 60,301 pre-authorisations for an amount of ₹271.72 crore have been expended under the scheme. Among the procedures covered under the scheme, 56% are medical oncology procedures (chemotherapy), 25% are radiation oncology procedures and 19% surgical oncology cases, according to data. 

Apart from Kidwai, Mysuru Medical College and Research Institute, VTSM Peripheral Cancer Centre in Kalaburgi, Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences in Hubballi and Vijaynagar Institute of Medical Sciences in Ballari are the top five public health facilities with highest utilisation of oncology procedures.