Britain has less than half population as compared to Pakistan and there are 50 cancer hospitals, whereas in Pakistan with 150 million population we have only one state-of-the-art hospital, which is Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Center.

Imran Khan, chairman, Board of Governors of Shaukat Khanum Hospital, expressed these views in a statement issued here on Monday. "Despite all constraints, the hospital is accommodating patients much more than the hospital's capacity.

In view of this situation, we have prepared a plan to build a complete cancer hospital at Karachi and extension of Lahore hospital is under way," he added.

He said that about 45,000 cancer patients have been treated during the last few years, and out of the hospital's Zakat fund about 3 billion rupees have been spent on providing free treatment to the poor patients in Shaukat Khanum Hospital.

Unfortunately, a cancer patient remains under treatment from five to six years, and it is not like other patients that they come, get treatment and are discharged.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2005