PANAJI
Cancer deaths in Goa have climbed steadily over the past five years and between 2021 and 2025, a staggering 4,762 patients died which means more than two per day and nearly 80 a month.
Statistics placed in Parliament during the ongoing monsoon session by the Union Health Ministry also show a nearly 10 per cent increase in mortality over those five years. In the same five year period of 2021-25 there were over 4.1 million cancer deaths with the National Cancer Registry Programme logging an annual average of 828,000 deaths nationwide. Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal reported the highest tolls and Northeastern states such as Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya saw fewer deaths. Goa’s numbers grew gradually in each of the five years from 901 cancer fatalities in 2021 to just six short of a thousand deaths in 2025. In 2022, 932 patients died of cancer and the number rose to 950 in 2023. In 2024, it was 977 and 994 in 2025.
The number of Goans inflicted with cancer has also shown a steady rise in this five-year period with over 8,600 Goans diagnosed with cancer in these five years – a staggering 144 new cancer cases a month and more than four a day. The Centre meanwhile told Parliament that it is pushing back against cancer in the country and under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non‑Communicable Diseases, it is providing States with technical and financial support.
So far, 524 new cancer care centres have been opened across the country, the ministry claimed. The World Health Organisation, meanwhile, has warned of the scale of the disease in the country. In its global cancer report, WHO said, one in ten Indians face the risk of developing cancer before turning 75 and each year 920,000 people die of the disease in the country.
Goa's numbers meanwhile are worrying the medical and public health officialdom and expect to respond to the challenge with an accelerated early detection, prevention and stronger treatment programme moving forward.
