Punjab govt to build free cancer hospitals: CM

The Punjab government will build cancer hospitals for free treatment of patients in the public sector, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has announced.

She was inspecting the proposed site of Punjab’s first government cancer hospital near Valencia Town on Monday.

The chief minister issued directives to attract the best specialist doctors from around the world and employ the latest equipment for the free treatment of cancer patients in the province.

She also issued orders for the construction of a hotel at the site for the attendants of the patients admitted to the planned hospital.

Earlier, a detailed briefing about the hospital project was given to the chief minister.

Former senator Pervaiz Rashid, Members of Punjab Assembly Khawaja Salman Rafiq, Khawaja Imran Nazir, Sania Ashiq, the chief secretary, senior member of the Board of Revenue, provincial secretaries of communications and works, cooperatives, the commissioner and DC of Lahore and other officers concerned were present on the occasion.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz reached Wahdat Colony after visiting the site of the cancer hospital for an unscheduled visit to the Government Pilot Secondary Girls School.

According to an official statement, she went to a classroom and sat with the students.

The chief minister asked the students about their lesson and appreciated their answers.

She encouraged the girl students to keep their classrooms clean after seeing wrappers thrown around.

The chief minister enquired about the problems and needs of the girls in the school.

The students demanded improvement in the library, lab and the organisation of events in the school.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2024.