Rs2.87 Billion Cancer Treatment Project Stalled by Bureaucratic Delays
A critical initiative aimed at offering free cancer treatment across Pakistan has encountered significant delays due to bureaucratic hurdles within the Ministry of Health. The Rs2.87 billion project, initially slated to launch this financial year, was unable to be included in the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) because of delays in finalizing the required paperwork.
Project Details:
– Value: Rs2.87 billion
– Scope: Free cancer treatment for patients in Islamabad, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and other federally administered areas.
– Funding: An international Swiss company had pledged Rs2 billion for medicines, with the federal government responsible for the remaining Rs870 million.
– Impact: The project aims to treat 741 cancer patients over five years, focusing on breast, lung, and liver cancers.
The delay has led to the Swiss company putting its aid on hold, effectively freezing the essential funds needed for the project’s rollout. Despite promises from the Ministry of Development and Planning to include the project in next year’s PSDP, the current setback threatens to postpone the much-needed treatment for cancer patients.
