KP reporting 40,000 new cancer patients annually

PESHAWAR: Speakers at an event arranged in the Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) on Friday said 200,000 new cancer cases were reported annually in Pakistan with 40,000 alone in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

They said this during a function hosted at the Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) to mark the World Blood Cancer Day. There was a focus on raising awareness about Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), improving treatment access, and supporting patients and their families affected by the disease.

Health Advisor Ihtesham Khan, Dr Sadaf Chiragh, chairperson of the Medical Oncology Department, Professor Dr Abid Jameel, Dr Shehzad Akbar, medical director HMC, and Dean of Khyber Girls Medical College Prof Dr Zahid Aman and others attended the programme.

They highlighted the challenges faced by CML patients, with Dr Sadaf Chiragh noting, “The CML affects vital organs like the spleen and liver, and Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKI) offer patients lifelong therapy, ensuring a better quality of life.”It was stated that since 2011, HMC’s free cancer treatment project has registered 3,970 CML patients. On average, 15 to 20 new cases were registered each month.

The hospital’s outpatient department (OPD) receives around 130 to 140 patients daily. The Oncology Department of HMC has introduced an online CML project management system to ensure transparency in patient care.

Advisor Ihtesham Khan expressed satisfaction with healthcare improvements in KP hospitals. He stated “I am 80 percent satisfied with the progress. The government is committed to supporting healthcare initiatives, and we will continue to work for the welfare of patients.”

The speakers said under the HMC project, low-income patients receive free medication worth Rs1.8 million to Rs4.4 million, with the majority of patients aged between 35 to 55 years, the most productive phase of their lives. The initiative benefits both men and women, with 65 percent of the patients being male and 44 percent female.

The event concluded with calls to extend the project further, ensuring that more patients can access free treatment and live healthy lives. “We are grateful to the KP government for providing free medication, which has saved countless families from financial ruin,” said Professor Dr. Abid Jameel.

It needs to be mentioned here that since the free cancer treatment is offered to patients in HMC only, there are serious issues with the programme and patients have been facing difficulties in receiving free drugs. Before the retirement of Prof Dr Abid Jameel, registered cancer patients used to visit the OPDs and get free medicine.

Almost all of the registered patients are now required to visit private clinics of the oncologists in the hospital and pay their consultant fees.The patients are given incomplete drugs and are advised to buy the remaining medicines from the market, due to lack of funds.