KARACHI - Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the treatment of cancer patients was very costly and unaffordable for the poor patients in the private sector, therefore, his government was working hard to establish cancer health facilities in the public sector and was also subsidising treatment expenditures in the hospitals being operated as welfare institutions.
This he said on Monday while talking to a delegation of Cancer Foundation led by its Chairman Maqsood Ansari. Others in the delegation were Engineer Haji Nazim, Surgeon Abid Jamal. Principal Secretary to CM Sajid Jamal Abro and Secretary Health Saeed Awan also attended the meeting.
The chief minister was told that there was a requirement of 40 radiation machines in Karachi but hardly there were few. Therefore, the patients were waiting for one to two months in welfare hospitals.
The chief minister said that his government in partnership of philanthropist and JPMC administration has established Cyber Knife Centre for cancer patients at JPMC. He added that the centre was functioning successfully.
Shah said that his government was also financially supporting to various health facilities engaged in serving poor patients with the support of philanthropists. He assured the Cancer Foundation he would support them in purchase of Bonemaro Transplant (BMT) machines. The BMT installed in Down hospital was a great support to the poor patients.
In the meeting it was pointed out that the treatment of a poor cancer patient cost around Rs1.2 million in private hospitals. These expenditures were beyond the approach of the poor patients. Therefore, the welfare hospitals with the support of the philanthropists and Sindh government were subsidising to Rs200,000 even then it was difficult for poor patients to afford.
It was also disclosed that the private hospitals were charging Rs7,000 for radiation while these expenditures were again subsidised to Rs1,000 in welfare hospitals.
The chief minister directed health secretary and Cancer Foundation to meet with secretary finance and purchase some radiation machines for poor cancer patients. “We are committed with the people of the province and would provide free of cost treatment to the cancer patients,” he said and added the on the pattern of NICVD cancer hospitals would be established in different districts of the province.
Bohra Jamaat delegation meets CM
A delegation of Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat led by Kumail Younis met with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murtad Ali Shah here at CM House and invited him to visit their Crest of Al-Jamea-tus-Saifiya at North Nazimabad which the chief minister accepted.Shah said that Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat has played a significant role in the national development.
The chief minister through the visiting delegation extended his invitation to Spiritual leader of Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat Dr Syedna Mufadal Saifuddin to visit Karachi. “Two years have passed to his last visit, now he should visit Karachi again,” the chief minister said and urged the delegation to pass on his invitation to Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin.