KP Health Minister Hisham Inamaullah Khan on Saturday said that the provincial government has given a grant amounting to Rs.500 million for the treatment of the patients of cancer while another amount of Rs.297 million have been released for the purpose of radiotherapy equipment in the province. He was addressing 23rd Annual Cancer Seminar 2019 organized under the auspices of Pakistan Society of clinical oncology in a local hotel of Peshawar.
The seminar attended by renowned doctors and oncologists with professional background in the field of research and treatment of cancer. Some of the notables included Dr. Mohammad Rauf Khatak Director IRNUM Peshawar, Dr Muhammad Faheem Director NORI Hospital Islamabad, Professor Dr Noor ul Iman Dean, Khyber Medical College and Dr Sher Mohammad, former Director IRNUM Peshawar.
The health minister added the government was aware regarding the treatment cost of the disease and that pragmatic measures and approaches are being adopted facilitate the marginalized segment of the society by providing free medicines in oncology department of Hayatabad Medical complex under the supervision of Prof Dr Abid Jameel, and soon it will be expanded to other hospitals in the province.
He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had rendered remarkable services for establishing hospitals for treatment of cancer in the country and he appreciated these services stating that it's time for the Public sectors hospitals to stand with Shaukat Khanam Cancer hospital.
He announced that the provincial government will soon provide "Scan PET" machine to IRNUM, which will facilitate timely diagnosis of cancer and it will be the first ever major step towards treatment and diagnosis of cancer province. At the end, shields were also distributed in the best performing doctors at the function. On the occasion, a shield of honour was also presented to the Health Minister by the Pakistan Society of Clinical Oncology.