Few poor welfare projects in Pakistan have gained the peoples’ acclaim like Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital (SKMCH). People from all walks of life, from every profession and irrespective of their political affiliation have shown their trust and appreciation for the hospital that was built in 1994 with an aim to provide not only world’s best cancer treatment but also to provide a chance to the poor community to get the treatment of this deadly disease irrespective of their ability to pay.
Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital is treating the people suffering from cancer for over 18 years regardless of the ability of the patients to pay. Established and founded by Imran Khan with the contribution of the people of Pakistan in December 1994 inaugurate by it’s first registered patient, 9-year old Sumera Yousuf, who now is not only cured but also working as an employee in the hospital today, SKMCH is not only treating the cancer patients but also research is being done on the disease.
Every year Pakistan gets one hundred and fifty thousand new cancer patients. And this deadly disease is also on the rise in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Although, there are around four cancer treatment centers in the province but non of them was catering the needs of cancer patients. That was the reason cancer patients from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata had to visit Lahore to get treatment from Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital. Almost 25 percent of the patients treated at Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital in Lahore every year are from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata of whom very less patients are financially strong enough to bear the burden of the expensive treatment.
Although, SKCMH is giving such patients a free of cost treatment but still the patients and their attendants had to bare the burden of the traveling and living expenses during their visit to Lahore.
The hospital has so far register over 40,000 patients from KP and Fata since day first and most of them were given free treatment through zakat and donations.
Giving the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a chance to get their disease treated at their doorstep was need of the hour and the construction of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital in Peshawar was announced.
In March 2011, ground breaking ceremony was held in Hayatabad Phase V, at the 50 kanal land donated by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.
In order to lessen the financial burden the government also announced Rs50m to complete the first phase which would cost Rs2billion.
The construction of a comprehensive cancer diagnosis and treatment facility in Peshawar will not only provide state-of-the-art cancer treatment services to the people of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, irrespective of their ability to pay, but will also help raise healthcare standards and provide training and employment opportunities in the wider region.
The stone laying ceremony of the project will be held on March 7, 2013 with Chief Minister of KP Amir Haider Khan Hoti as the Chief Guest. Imran Khan, Chiarman Board of Governors, SKMT, has appealed all the well-wishers and people at large to come forward, pledge their support and donated generously to build the second Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer.
Yasir Munir, Assistant Manger Fund Raising for SKMCH, told The Frontier Post that the first phase of the project would be completed by 2015 with only the facility of surgery not available for the patients.
He said all the facilities including would be available but for the surgery the patients would have to visit Lahore till 2017 when the second phase would be completed in Peshawar.
The estimated cost of the first phase is Rs 2 billion. In the second and third phases, the hospital management expects to add radiation therapy and surgical services, increase the total number of inpatient beds, and add a full intensive care unit. By the completion of this project, people of the province will be benefited.
Mr Yasir further said that the architectural design of the hospital was prepared by a US firm as which is associated with designing best cancer hospitals in the world.
The purpose to describe the background and the future projects of SKMCH was not only to tell the readers about the achievements made by the hospital but also to tell them that to complete the project it still need a hefty amount of money. We should not consider this project as completion of a hospital but we should consider it as a facility where when completed many precious lives can be saved. Life of mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters and dear ones could be saved by getting timely diagnose and treatment from cancer. Let us pledge to help the cause. It is not so difficult. If I think as an individual I will think that how a person like me who does not have a large bank balance could help in completion of the project as even if I donate a few hundred rupees for the completion of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital it will be of no use. But at the same time if I think as a group of people who have feelings for the needy I would think that if all of us could donate even a small amount together it would turn into a healthy donation.
We spend lavishly when we do shopping for our families and spent huge amounts on dining at the expensive restaurants and international food chains. But if we could save some of the same money we spend on shopping and dining in and donate it for the cause of building the first ever state of the art cancer hospital in Peshawar; standing in front of the building after completion we could proudly tell our children and grandchildren that we have our share in completing of this projects where the poor cancer patients will be getting the world’s best cancer treatment without spending a penny. Every one including industrialists, businessmen, doctors, engineers, journalists, lawyers, politicians should come forward to play their part in completion of the hospital as after completion it can saves many lives.
Frontier Post
