Is Rising Cancer Treatment Cost in India Making Doctors Launch Crowdfunding Campaigns?

Around 13.9 lakh patients are diagnosed with cancer every year in India, and the rising cancer treatment cost in India makes the patients’ lives miserable. The average cancer treatment costs range from Rs 2 lakhs to 5 lakhs. That amount is beyond the financial capacity of several families. That’s why cancer doctors are launching crowdfunding campaigns to fund the treatment. Let’s see why crowdfunding campaigns are helpful and why cancer doctors are resorting to them.

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“5 Reasons”

Why cancer doctors are resorting to the crowdfunding campaigns? 

1. Skyrocketing cancer treatment costs in India 

The average cancer treatment cost in India was around Rs 1.16 lakhs in 2017-18. It has multiplied over the past few years. A parliamentary report suggests over six crore Indians get pushed below the poverty line due to cancer treatment expenses. How can they deal with this severe crisis?

Affording cancer treatment in private hospitals is a distant dream for many.  Plus, the expenses are also quite high in government hospitals. The expenses are not always affordable for friends and relatives too. That’s why doctors are resorting to crowdfunding platforms to raise the medical treatment expenses of their patients.

2. Rejection of Health insurance  

Almost 30% of the Indian population doesn’t have health insurance. Thus, they are not protected against critical illnesses. However, having health insurance also doesn’t ensure you get protection against fatal diseases like cancer. That’s because many health insurance companies don’t cover critical illnesses. Moreover, some plans have a waiting period of two to three years.

What is more, the claim settlement ratio of most insurance providers is not 100%. That means there is no guarantee that the company will settle your claims when you are undergoing critical treatment. There are several clauses and conditions that you might not notice while purchasing the policy. Thus, crowdfunding websites are trusted among doctors for fundraising to cover their patient’s treatment costs.

3. Unavailability of loans 

Many people try to cover their hospital expenses by taking loans, but loan approval is a time-consuming process. Finding a lending institution, applying for a loan, submitting your documents and getting approval need a lot of time, and critical illnesses like cancer require immediate treatment. That’s why loans are not a reliable option when it comes to cancer treatment. 

Furthermore, banks and other lending institutions charge exceptionally high interest on loans. Your finances will get messed up trying to repay the loan. 

On top of that, loans are not always available. The lender might ask you to fulfil a lot of criteria. Plus, you might not have a good credit history to make you eligible for a loan. 

Your friends and relatives might also be unable to lend a huge sum. That’s why doctors create crowdfunding campaigns so that the treatment doesn’t get delayed. 

4. Doctors are empathetic 

Doctors often have cancer patients in their family or friend circle. That’s why they understand how it feels to be in the situation. 

Cancer brings with it physical and emotional pain. Plus, it brings a financial crisis to the patient’s family. Many families get financially and psychologically devastated trying to cure their loved ones. 

In these situations, the humanitarian side of some doctors comes out. They go beyond their duty and start a fundraiser to cover the treatment expenses of their patient. 

Several types of cancer require lakhs of rupees for surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. In many cases, doctors take the initiative to raise money for their patients’ proper and timely treatment. 

5. Effectiveness of crowdfunding campaigns 

Crowdfunding India campaigns are popular these days. You would have seen several successful campaigns raising hefty amounts for critical treatments. Isn’t it reassuring to see the smiles on the faces of family members when their loved one gets a new life?

The success of crowdfunding websites is due to the popularity of social media. That’s why many campaigns go viral on different social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. 

Thus, online campaigns are much more effective than offline ones. You don’t have to go door to door and ask for help. Your fundraiser post reaches lakhs of people who contribute to your cause in no time. 

It’s also super easy to withdraw the money for treatment. There are minimum formalities and you can start the treatment on time.

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How to launch a crowdfunding campaign?

Creating a crowdfunding campaign is easy. You don’t have to spend hours or worry about paperwork. Just follow these simple steps.

• Visit a crowdfunding website such as Ketto.
• Choose the type of campaign you want to start.
• Specify the type of illness. Some crowdfunding platforms let you launch special campaigns for cancer treatment.
• Submit the relevant documents. It includes medical bills, prescriptions and test reports.
• Provide the account details where you will withdraw the money.

There you go! Your fundraiser campaign is ready. Now you can share it on social media to raise funds for your loved one’s medical treatment. 

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Final word 

You can launch a crowdfunding campaign for several noble causes. Many social workers come forward to educate India through crowdfunding. They create an education crowdfunding campaign to raise money for underprivileged children. 

Fundraisers also can save precious lives. That’s why cancer doctors are increasingly turning towards crowdfunding platforms to provide better healthcare to cancer patients. 

You can start a crowdfunding campaign for cancer treatment with Ketto. It takes just a few minutes to launch your campaign. So, go ahead and take the first step towards saving a life.