On the directions of Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, 'Bone Marrow Transplant Center' (BMTC) at Children Hospital is being set up which will be completed soon and it is hoped that Chief Minister would himself inaugurate the center in August 2016. It was disclosed by the Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique while presiding over a meeting to review the arrangements for completion of Bone Marrow Transplant Center at Children Hospital, here Monday.
Besides Dean Institute of Child Health and Children Hospital Professor Masood Sadiq, Medical Director Professor Ahsan Waheed Rathore, Professor Tahir Shamsi from National Institute of Blood Diseases (NIBDs) Karachi Professor Huma Arshad Cheema, Professor Nisar Ahmed, Professor Mahfooz Ur Rehman, Additional Secretary Technical Dr Salman Shahid and the officers from C&W Department also attended the meeting. It was informed that total estimate cost of BMTC is Rs 231.285 million.
Professor Rathore informed that for this purpose up-gradation of Haematology Laboratory, training of staff and procurement of bio-medical equipment is under process. He informed that first batch comprising on four doctors, one pharmacist, one medical lab technician and four nurses has completed their six month training at NIBDs whereas, the second batch of two doctors and four nurses is left for Karachi for training. It was also informed that the procurement process for electro medical equipment for haematology and micro-biology labs is under process which would be completed within next few weeks.
Khawaja Salman Rafique said that some medicines used in bone marrow transplantation would be imported from abroad for which special permission would be sought from the Drugs Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP). He said that setting up of bone marrow transplant center would be another milestone in the healthcare delivery system of Punjab and it will bring a new hope for the life of patients suffering from blood cancer. He said that free treatment facilities would be provided to the poor patients who cannot bear the huge expenditures of bone marrow transplantation.