KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the treatment of cancer is very costly and unaffordable for poor patients in the private sector, where it costs around Rs1.2 million per head. Therefore, the Sindh government is working to establish cancer health facilities in the public sector to provide free treatment to cancer patients, he said and added that on the pattern of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, the cancer hospitals would be established in different districts of the province.

The chief minister, who was talking to a delegation of the Cancer Foundation led by its chairman Maqsood Ansari here on Tuesday at the CM House, said that until the establishment of such facilities in the public sector his government was subsidising treatment expenditures in the hospitals being operated as welfare institutions.

The chief minister said that his government, in partnership with philanthropists and the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre administration, had established the CyberKnife Centre for cancer patients at the JPMC where the centre had been functioning successfully. Besides, he said, his government was also financially supporting various health facilities engaged in serving poor patients with the support of philanthropists.

He assured the Cancer Foundation of his full support in purchasing bone marrow transplant machines, at present installed only in the Dow Hospital, which was a great support to poor patients.

Dawoodi Bohra delegation calls on Murad Ali Shah

In the meeting it was pointed out that the treatment of a poor cancer patient cost around Rs1.2m in private hospitals. These expenditures were beyond the reach of poor patients. Therefore, the welfare hospitals with the support of philanthropists and the Sindh government were subsidising the cost, but even then it was difficult for poor patients to pay.

The chief minister directed the health secretary and the Cancer Foundation delegation to meet the finance secretary and purchase some radiation machines for poor cancer patients.

Dawoodi Bohra delegation

A delegation of the Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat led by Kumail Younis met the chief minister at CM House on Tuesday.

The delegation invited the CM to visit Al-Jamea-tus-Saifiya in North Nazimabad, and the chief minister accepted the invitation.

Syed Murad Ali Shah said the Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat had played a significant role in national development.

The chief minister through the visiting delegation extended his invitation to spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin to visit Karachi.

“Two years have passed to his last visit, now he should visit Karachi again,” the chief minister said and urged the delegation to pass on his invitation to Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2019