The Goa Government has declared cancer a “notified disease” under the Goa Public Health Act, 1985, making it mandatory for newly diagnosed cancer cases to be reported to the Directorate of Health Services (DHS). The move is aimed at strengthening cancer surveillance, improving data collection and supporting more effective planning of cancer prevention and treatment services in the State.
Mandatory Reporting of Cancer Cases
Under the new notification, medical practitioners, pathologists, hospitals and healthcare institutions diagnosing or treating cancer will have to report fresh cases to the Directorate of Health Services (DHS).
The notification requires cases to be reported within seven days and no later than one month from the date of diagnosis. The Chief Medical Officer for Non-Communicable Diseases has been designated as the authority to receive these reports.
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State Cancer Registry Planned
As part of the new surveillance mechanism, the Directorate of Health Services will establish a State Cancer Registry. The registry will compile, validate and monitor cancer cases reported across Goa, creating a more systematic database on the disease.
The notification also emphasises the confidentiality of patients. Any information published from the registry will be limited to anonymised and aggregated data, ensuring that individual patients cannot be identified.
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Supreme Court Direction
Goa is among 19 States and Union Territories directed by the Supreme Court to declare cancer a notifiable disease.
The direction followed concerns raised over gaps in India’s cancer surveillance system and the limited population coverage of the National Cancer Registry Programme.
The national healthcare system is also expanding cancer services under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases, with 524 centres opened across the country.
With mandatory reporting and a dedicated State Cancer Registry, Goa is moving towards a more organised system of tracking cancer cases. The initiative is expected to strengthen evidence-based healthcare planning and help the State respond more effectively to the growing cancer burden.
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