Suspending permission for SKMCH fundraiser would result in deaths of thousands: Dr Alvi

This is like cutting off one’s nose to spite the face, says president

President Dr Arif Alvi said on Friday suspending permission to raise funds, leading to any delay in the construction of the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital (SKMCH) in Karachi, would potentially result in the deaths of thousands who still go untreated.

The statement came a day after reports emerged that the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration withdrew the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) issued to the SKMCH for holding a fundraiser at a local hotel in Islamabad.

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“Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital is a world-recognised, state-of-the-art facility that has been providing cutting-edge top-of-the-line treatments for poor cancer patients since its inception. Having been personally involved in preventing & treating oral cancer all my life and Mrs Samina Alvi in spreading awareness for early diagnosis of breast cancer to save lives, we all are very aware of the costly cancer burden of Pakistan,” the president wrote on his official Twitter handle.

He said that suspending permission to raise funds leading to any delay in the construction of the SKMCH hospital in Karachi would lead to the potential deaths of thousands who still go untreated.

Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital is a world recognized, state of the art facility that has been providing cutting edge top of the line treatments for poor cancer patients since its inception. Having been personally involved in preventing & treating oral cancer all my life and Mrs…

— Dr. Arif Alvi (@ArifAlvi) December 29, 2023

“This is like cutting of[f] one’s nose to spite the face. Pakistan is seriously lacking in curative health care. All private philanthropy especially this outstanding one of SKMH must be encouraged,” he added. Dr Alvi also called for reversing the cancellation of the fund-raising NOC.