Bhubaneswar: A 32-year-old youth from Kuakhia in Jajpur district recently underwent successful surgery for advanced testicular cancer at a private cancer hospital in Bhubaneswar under the Mukhyamantri Cancer Care Abhiyan (MCCA). Aryabhanu Mohanty is recovering well after the surgery at Bagchi Sri Shankara Cancer Centre and Research Institute here.
In another case, Jyotshnarani Mohanty (62) of Jagannathpur in Bhadrak Municipality area underwent successful surgery for uterine cancer under the scheme and is expected to be discharged from the hospital soon.
The newly introduced 91 State-specific treatment packages under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) and Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY) have already benefited the needy, bringing a new ray of hope for the cancer patients in Odisha.
Recently, the Odisha government has expanded cashless cancer care under the integrated AB PM-JAY and GJAY by adding 91 State-specific treatment packages under a new scheme – MCCA. With the inclusion, the number of cancer treatment packages available under the scheme has increased from 454 to 545, while the total treatment packages have gone up from 2,163 to 2,254, enabling eligible beneficiaries to access timely and specialised cashless cancer treatment at empanelled hospitals across the State.
The additional packages were incorporated into the AB PM-JAY–GJAY Package Master with the approval of the National Health Authority (NHA). The State Government has directed all empanelled hospitals to provide cashless treatment under the newly added packages.
The integrated AB PM-JAY and GJAY was launched in Odisha on April 11, 2025 with 2,163 treatment packages. To strengthen cancer care, the State government has launched the MCCA with an outlay of nearly Rs 311 crore, recognising the importance of early diagnosis and multidisciplinary treatment for cancer patients.