Scientific Basis of Dealing with the Cost Issues in Routine Oncology Practice in Low & Middle Income Countries

Abstract

Cancer burden is increasing day by day in our Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC) A practicing clinician faces the issue of cost of treatment in almost all patients who approach him or her for clinical consultation . More than often, the clinician has no formal training in cancer service development. Establishment of modern oncological services is dependent on financial resources available to the professionals who sit across an extra-large sized rectangular table and try to get the best out of the money pot. Some skeptics call it beauty out of the junkyard. The allocation of funds is dependent on the feasibility studies done by the
healthcare economists .These wise guys seem to know a lot about the health of a nation, but many health care professionals have some reservations about their understanding of the practical knowledge of day to day managerial and clinical problems, faced by the person sitting at the receiving end.