Minister for making Nawaz Sharif cancer hospital functional in a year

LAHORE: Health Minister Khawaja Salman on Tuesday visited the site of Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research and directed Infrastructure Development Authority of the Punjab (IDAP) to make the institute functional in one year.

The minister reviewed the ongoing progress and said the institute would be Pakistan's first complete government cancer hospital. Level 3 and level 4 cancer patients will also get free treatment. Infrastructure Development Authority of the Punjab (IDAP) has been directed to make the institute functional in the year, Khawaja Salman said and that cancer hospital with 915 beds will be completed in two phases.

Peads oncology, operation theatres, 10-radiation therapy bunker, ICU and 30-bed emergency ward will be built. A waiting hall and 24 beds will also be built for the maintenance staff. In the main building, a bone marrow centre, cancer care clinic, residences for doctors and a mosque will be built in the first phase.

In the second phase, a new building with 300 beds and a parking plaza will also be built, the minister said. He added in this cancer hospital, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, endoscopy and other facilities will be available.

A target of twelve months has been given for the completion of the first phase of the cancer hospital. CM Maryam Nawaz has already announced the bone marrow transplant institute. The proposal to build hotels for the caretakers in front of the hospital is being reviewed, the minister added. “Specialised hospitals for blood diseases, peads, organ transplant and bone marrow will also be built in Punjab. A programme to bring specialist doctors from abroad to Punjab with incentives is also being brought. We want to build cardiology, neurology, peads and dialysis centres in every city. No cancer patient will be denied treatment. Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital is a project not only for Punjab but for the whole of Pakistan, he said.

LGH smog awareness counter inspected

Ameer Uddin Medical College Principal Prof Dr Al-Fareed Zafar visited various wards of Lahore General Hospital (LGH) including a smog awareness counter established in the Emergency Department.

While distributing awareness pamphlets based on preventive measures to avoid smog among the citizens, he said the Punjab government is taking serious measures to control smog problem. He added health professionals should provide complete awareness to the people coming for medical treatment. He highlighted that smog can be more deadly for patients suffering from respiratory problem, eye irritation, asthma and heart diseases and people with weak immunity need to take special precautions. PGMI principal said special attention should be paid to the fitness of the vehicles so that the silencers of the vehicles do not poison the breath of the citizens. He urged the media to play their positive role and inform the citizens about smog protection and preventive measures.