LAHORE — Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has announced plans to establish a cancer treatment hospital in every division within 12 months.
Punjab cancer hospital plan
Maryam made the announcement in Multan during a ceremony for the city’s electric bus service. She said Punjab would expand specialised healthcare facilities, including cancer and cardiology hospitals. Patients from other provinces would also be able to seek treatment.
A new cancer centre has opened at Nishtar Hospital in Multan. It has 100 beds, PET-CT services and a cyclotron facility.
New cancer facilities in Punjab
Maryam said a second PET-CT machine had been installed in Multan. The other facility was previously available at the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute in Lahore.
She also highlighted cryoablation technology, saying around 100 patients had been treated with the equipment in Lahore.
Officials said modern cancer centres are being planned for Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Sargodha and Rawalpindi. The planned expansion includes PET-scan facilities.
What happens next?
The plan could improve access to cancer diagnosis and treatment beyond Punjab’s major medical centres. However, officials have not fully outlined the location, construction schedule or funding for each proposed hospital.
