Two state-of-the-art Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospitals (SKMHs) in Lahore and Peshawar are already providing quality treatment to the indigent cancer patients.

The hospital in Lahore has spent Rs27 billion on the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients from its inception, December 29, 1994. About 75 percent of the patients have been treated free of cost at the two hospitals so far.

As per hospital’s policy and history, a pediatric patient, Waleed Ahmed from Jamshoro, Sindh, was the special guest, who performed the groundbreaking of SKMH at DHA City, Karachi.

This new hospital in Karachi will make comprehensive cancer care accessible for poor patients and bring hope of life closer to Sindh and adjoining areas. The DHA City in Karachi has provided 20 acres of prime land to the Trust at highly advantageous rates.

According to the management of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust, this comprehensive cancer centre will be built at a cost of Rs.4.5 billion.

The first phase would take two and a half years to complete and the multi-level facility is expected to be operational on December 29, 2019. The facility will gradually scale up to the level of a fully functional cancer care hospital for the people residing in Southern Pakistan.

SKMCH&RC, Karachi will include Medical Oncology, Paediatric Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Anaesthesia, Radiology, Internal Medicine, Nuclear Medicine, and Pathology.

The hospital  will be equipped with the latest cancer care technology, including state-of- the-art diagnostic facilities, radiation treatment planning and delivery systems, and will have 40 outpatient clinics, a sixty-bed outpatient chemotherapy facility, one hundred inpatient rooms, twelve operation theatres, and thirty intensive care (ICU) beds.

The hospital would surely enhance and raise the healthcare standards in the region by providing opportunities of training and career to the locals, in line with the mission of the hospital.

This facility would open up opportunities for the oncologists, doctors, nurses and health professionals to get training in the management, diagnosis and treatment of the cancer patients.

Imran Khan, Chairman Board of Governors, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust, Speaking    on the occasion, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Allah (The Almighty ), who has granted him a great opportunity and allowed them to gather to witness the effort and achievement, which can only be described as a ‘dream come true’.

He said building a cancer hospital for the needy people was his dream as treatment of this deadly disease was expensive and out of reach of the poor. “This dream has come true after several years of hard work, determination, perseverance and focus on achieving this noble goal,” he added.