With advancement in technology and new medicines, cancer treatment was becoming ever more expensive; and Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital's budget had reached to Rs 1.4 billion.
Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Dr Faisal Sultan revealed this while briefing a group of students from Lahore University of Management of Sciences (LUMS) headed by Associate Professor, Kamran Ali Chatta, visited Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre.
On the occasion, the group was briefed about the hospital basic objectives, and performance as well as challenges and its future plans.
Dr Faisal said: "We have started post graduate training programmes and this hospital is recognised by local and foreign institutions for this purpose. Hospital has already started population based data and clinical research for cancer patients". Another cancer hospital is being established in Karachi soon while extension of the hospital in Lahore is also underway, which will enable the hospital to accommodate more cancer patients, he added.
To a query, Faisal said we admit all the patients on merit. The basic principle for admission of a patient is that his/her disease should be treatable. We want to admit every patient who comes to outdoor but our resources do not allow us.