'Health, education sectors top priority of K-P govt'

Dr Hisham says approaches being adopted to facilitate marginalised segments of society

PESHAWAR: K-P Health Minister Dr Hisham Inamullah Khan has stated that the incumbent government has been mandated to provide basic rights and facilities to the public at large in which health and education are its topmost priorities

He expressed these views at the 23rd annual Cancer Congress Seminar 2019 organised by the Pakistan Society of Clinical Oncology at a local hotel of Peshawar.

The seminar attended by renowned doctors and oncologists with a professional background in the field of research and treatment of cancer. Some of the notables included Peshawar IRNUM Director Dr Mohammad Rauf Khatak Dr Muhammad Faheem NORI Hospital Islamabad, Director Dr Muhammad Saleem Khyber Medical College Dean Professor Dr Noorul Iman and former director IRNUM Peshawar. Dr Sher Mohammad Khan,

While addressing the seminar, the health minister furthered that the government had given a grant for cancer treatment worth Rs500 million for cancer patients in the province during the last few years, and besides this, Rs 297 million has been allocated for the purchase of radiotherapy equipment.

He added the government was aware regarding the treatment costs of the disease and that pragmatic measures and approaches are being adopted to facilitate the marginalised segment of society by providing free medicines in the Oncology department of Hayatabad Medical Complex under the supervision of Prof. Dr Abid Jameel, and soon it will be expanded to other hospitals in the province.

Inamullah further added that Prime Minister Imran Khan has given his remarkable services for establishing hospitals for treatment of cancer in the country and he appreciated these services stating that it's time for the public sectors hospitals to stand with Shaukat Khanam Cancer hospital.

At the end of the event, he said that the provincial government will soon provide "Scan PET" machine to IRNUM, which will facilitate timely diagnosis of cancer and it will be the first-ever major step towards treatment and diagnosis of cancer province. Shields were also distributed to the best performing doctors at the function. On the occasion, a shield of honour was also presented to the Health Minister by the Pakistan Society of Clinical Oncology.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2019.