A crucial project aimed at providing free cancer treatment to patients across Pakistan has been delayed by a year due to bureaucratic obstacles within the Ministry of Health. The initiative, valued at Rs2.87 billion, was initially scheduled to start this financial year but could not be included in the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) due to the ministry’s failure to complete essential paperwork on time.
The project was designed to offer free cancer treatment to patients in Islamabad, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and other federally administered territories. According to official sources, a Swiss pharmaceutical company had pledged Rs2 billion in funding, primarily for medicine, while the federal government was to cover the remaining Rs870 million.
However, due to delays in the approval process, the project’s inclusion in the next financial year’s PSDP is now being planned. This delay has also halted the Swiss company’s financial assistance, freezing the much-needed funds for cancer treatment in these regions.
Once implemented, the project is expected to provide free treatment to 741 cancer patients over a five-year period, focusing on breast, lung, and liver cancers. Approximately 150 patients each year will benefit, with over one million rupees allocated per patient to cover treatment costs.
Originally, the project was slated to run from July 2024 to June 2029, but with the current delays, it is now projected to begin next year. The postponement has raised concerns among stakeholders, who are urging the government to expedite the process and secure the necessary support for the project’s launch in the coming year.
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