Cancer hospital runs out of medicines despite assurances

Drugs supply halted for two months

QUETTA:

In yet another story of despair, Cenar – the only cancer hospital of Balochistan – has run out of medicines, making cure to the life-threatening disease a luxury that only a few can afford.

“Despite assurances by the provincial government, medicines are not yet provided,” Dr Feroz Khan Achakzai told Express Tribune, adding: “This has simply compounded the problems of the patients battling the fatal disease”.

Out of the 19 cancer hospitals built across Pakistan, Balochistan could get only one, established in Quetta, to tackle the ailment requiring expensive treatment.

Assuring provision of the medicines within 24 hours, coordinator to the CM Babar Yousafzai said, “The matter was already brought to the notice of the chief minister”.

Medicine supply to Cenar hospital under the Balochistan government endowment fund is halted for the last two months. “We have no medicines in our stock,” Dr Feroz added.

Over 100 patients approach the CENAR hospital for medical treatment on a daily basis. “We treat patients but they can’t purchase the expensive medicines,” Dr Achakzai revealed.

Most of the cancer patients approach this government-run hospital in the fourth stage, Dr Achakzai said. He was of the view there was no awareness among the people about this fatal disease, adding: “We can treat them well if they come in the initial stage.

“Government must provide medicines on an urgent basis”, he demanded.

Most of the patients are from a downtrodden class, cramped by financial issues and they cannot afford the treatment of cancer.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2023.