Daily Times

Sir: Various forms of lethal cancers are becoming more widespread across the country. While there are more cancer treatment facilities in the country now than before, these have proven to be inadequate when it comes to coping with the rapid spread of cancer in Pakistan. It also needs to be said that many cancer victims in this country do not have the financial resources they need for treatment.

Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has urged the private corporate sector to utilize their funds to establish more free treatment facilities for cancer patients, saying that this would be a fulfilment of their corporate social responsibilities.

According to the reports, PM Abbasi said this while addressing a fund raising function of the Cancer Care Hospital held in Karachi quite recently. He announced a donation of Rs 100 million for the new facility which is being established for providing free treatment to patients.

PM Abbasi mentioned the painful detail that as many as 75 percent of cancer patients in the country die without getting any treatment. As such, there is a dire need for more cancer hospitals. Free care centres must be established where impoverished cancer patients can receive treatment without suffering financial ruin. If such a venture is pursued by our corporate sector, running the hospital will actually be more difficult than establishing it. A group of committed medical experts would be of great use here.

MUHAMMAD MURTAZA ZEESHAN

Lahore

Published in Daily Times, May 22^nd2018.