Punjab Health Minister Dr Tahir Ali Javed has said the government was providing maximum funds for prevention and treatment of cancer, especially for children. He expressed these views while addressing a workshop on Pediatric Oncology at Children Hospital Lahore.
Dean Children Hospital Dr Sajid Maqbool, Dr Naheed Usmani from University of Massachusetts (USA), MS Dr A Waheed Rathor, Dr Nisar Ahmad, Dr Humayun Iqbal, Dr Agha Shabbir Ali, Dr Sadia Saeed, and Dr Misbah also spoke on the occasion.
In order to achieve the targets all out co-operation and grant is being provided to the teaching hospitals for the functioning of radiation system, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, he informed. Besides, Rs 700 million have been provided for new radiation system at the Mayo Hospital Lahore and a mammography machine had been installed at Jinnah Hospital Lahore for the diagnostic and treatment purposes of Breast Cancer, he added.
Dr Tahir Javed said more research facilities would be provided to the young doctors of oncology and co-operation of local and international donors would be obtained for improved registry system in this field. The government has provided required funds to the Children Hospital for the establishment of state-of-the-art Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Centre and for the repair and maintenance of present radiation machines, he added.
Dean Children Hospital Dr Sajid Maqbool said 900 patients were being treated at the hospital daily whereas 500 children were daily accommodated in the emergency department of the hospital where free of cost treatment facilities were being provided.