LAHORE (PR) - A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust (SKMT) and the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for establishment of a state-of-the-art cancer hospital in Hayatabad, Peshawar. The MoU was signed by provincial Health Secretary Sohail Altaf, on behalf of the provincial government and the representative of SKMT and Chief Executive Officer of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, Dr Faisal Sultan, in the presence of Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtun-khwa, Ameer Haider Hoti and the provincial Health Minister, Syed Zahir Ali Shah. On this occasion, the Chief Minister highlighted the long-standing need for a specialized cancer hospital for the treatment of cancer patients in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and termed the agreement a great success for the people of KP. He stated that the people of the province would no longer need to travel repeatedly to Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore but would instead be able to access identical care closer to their homes, at the new Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital in Peshawar. The Chief Minister thanked Imran Khan and assured him that the provincial government would extend every assistance required for the completion of this humanitarian project. The provincial government has provided 50 kanals of land, free of cost, for this project which will be competed in three phases at a cost of approximately Rs 250 million. Dr Faisal Sultan highlighted various aspects of the project including the phase-wise construction plan, planned equipment and infrastructure and staffing requirements. He expressed his hope that the completion of this project would greatly improve the standards of healthcare in the province and also serve to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and lead to capacity-building in the province.