Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique stated on Wednesday that the Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research Center will be the first fully free government cancer hospital in Pakistan, ensuring that no patient is denied treatment.
He made these comments during a visit to the hospital, which is currently under construction, accompanied by Chairman Board and former Chief Secretary of Punjab, Captain (retd) Zahid Saeed, and Health Economist Dr. Muhammad Adnan Khan, to assess the project’s ongoing progress.
Khawaja Salman Rafique further expressed that, Insha Allah, patients with level three and level four cancer would also receive complimentary treatment at the facility.
He mentioned that the Punjab government is establishing the 915-bed, state-of-the-art Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research in Lahore, with an estimated investment of Rs75 billion.
He further noted that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif is consistently overseeing the project’s advancement, with construction work proceeding around the clock.
Which facilities will the new cancer hospital have?
The Minister indicated that the cancer institute will feature pediatric oncology, operating theaters, 10 radiation therapy bunkers, an ICU, and a 30-bed emergency ward. Additionally, a waiting area and 24 residential beds for patients will be constructed.
He explained that the main building in the initial phase will include a bone marrow centre, cancer care clinic, doctors’ quarters, and a mosque, while a new 300-bed building and parking plaza will be developed in the next phase.
He stated that radiation therapy, chemotherapy, endoscopy, and various other services will be available at the nation’s first government cancer hospital. Patients from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and other provinces will also receive treatment at no cost, he added.
Khawaja Salman Rafique emphasised that the Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital is not just a project for Punjab but for the entire nation.
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