The Health Ministry will launch the national cancer care network in early autumn to integrate treatment services.Consequently, health officials plan to organize fragmented medical care into a fully coordinated, traceable care pathway.Senior Ministry Official Ali Motlaq confirmed that this initiative establishes clear guidelines across all clinical stages.
The government will not construct new medical centers to implement this comprehensive nationwide program. Instead, public health administrators will utilize existing institutional capacities to connect specialized physicians across various regions. Qualified centers will receive patient referrals based on specific cancer types, facility capacity, and geographical proximity.
The primary objective focuses heavily on enhancing treatment quality while reducing financial burdens on vulnerable families. Furthermore, program components include standardized clinical pathways, systematic referrals, electronic monitoring, and multidisciplinary team decisions. Officials also clarified that public sector coverage aims to minimize out-of-pocket costs for essential treatments.
Administrators plan to introduce financial incentives for participating medical facilities and clinical specialists. To receive these benefits, providers must adhere strictly to established reporting standards and standardized care protocols. Meanwhile, the initial phase focuses specifically on breast cancer screening, early diagnosis, and localized treatment management.
Health authorities aim to expand coverage across all high-priority cancer types by March 2027. Currently, malignant tumors cause more than 55,000 deaths annually across the country. This strategic initiative aligns with broader domestic efforts to advance medical technology and expand specialized clinical facilities.