Delhi Cancer Patients Denied ₹5 Lakh Aid Due to AIIMS Jhajjar Rule, Treatment at Risk

Brief By Newsbrief / 12:18 PM on 09 Jul 2026

Several economically weaker cancer patients from Delhi are struggling to continue life-saving treatment after being denied financial assistance under the Delhi Arogya Kosh scheme. Although the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Jhajjar functions as a part of AIIMS New Delhi, patients registered directly at the institute are reportedly not eligible for the scheme because the hospital is located in Haryana.

One such patient is 48-year-old Asha from Rohini, who is battling advanced-stage breast cancer. Doctors prescribed TDM-1 injections costing nearly ₹10 lakh annually, but her family could not afford them. While the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund provided partial assistance, Delhi Arogya Kosh rejected her application, leaving her without the injections for the past eight months.

A similar situation was faced by Vandana from Narela. Her husband, a taxi driver, said he had to borrow around ₹4 lakh from relatives after the Delhi government refused financial support. Although the PM Relief Fund covered part of the treatment, the remaining expenses became a heavy financial burden.

The Delhi Arogya Kosh offers up to ₹5 lakh in cashless treatment to eligible residents with an annual income below ₹3 lakh who receive treatment at government hospitals in Delhi. However, officials maintain that AIIMS NCI Jhajjar falls outside the National Capital Territory, making its patients ineligible despite the institute being administratively linked to AIIMS New Delhi.

Doctors and cancer care experts have criticized the rule, arguing that it creates unnecessary barriers for poor patients requiring urgent treatment. Medical professionals and cancer support organizations have urged the Delhi government to revise the policy so that eligible Delhi residents receiving treatment at AIIMS NCI Jhajjar are not deprived of timely financial assistance and life-saving care.