The Tamil Nadu government has allocated Rs 21,906 crore to the Health and Family Welfare Department in its 2025-26 budget, prioritising cancer care, non-communicable diseases, and emergency medical services. Presenting the final budget of the DMK’s current term before the 2026 elections, on Friday, March 14, Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu outlined key healthcare investments aimed at strengthening medical infrastructure and expanding access to critical treatments.
Designating Government Arignar Anna Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Institute in Kanchipuram district as a state-level nodal cancer centre, the government has announced that it would be upgraded into an autonomous 800-bed facility, providing advanced cancer diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care. The government has earmarked Rs 120 crore over the next two years for this initiative. To improve early cancer detection, the government will enhance medical equipment and manpower in secondary and medical college hospitals, with Rs 110 crore allocated over the next three years.
Additionally, an HPV vaccination program for 14-year-old girls will be launched to prevent cervical cancer, with Rs 36 crore set aside for 2025-26. Further, a sum of Rs 40 crore has been allocated to expand healthcare access through mobile medical teams. These teams, working in collaboration with NGOs, will provide screenings for major cancers and heart diseases, along with lifestyle counseling.
Other key health allocations in the budget include Rs 2,754 crore for the National Health Mission (NHM), Rs 1,092 crore for the Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme, Rs 1,461 crore for the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme and Rs 348 crore for Ambulance Services. The News Minute