On Sunday, the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) hosted the groundbreaking ceremony for the country’s first public-sector cancer hospital, which would cost Rs10.8 billion and be finished in June 2025.
The 200-bed facility will feature four stories and a 49,000-square-foot basement. The structure will house an outpatient department (OPD), an emergency department, male and female wards, a gyne ward, a blood cancer ward, and several other departments.
Dr. Ayesha Isani, Project Director with a PhD in Public Health, told Dawn that the overall cost of the project would be more than Rs10.8 billion, of which Rs3.4 billion would be spent on the structure and Rs7.4 billion on the acquisition of equipment.
“The hospital will be built near the burn center and will be Pakistan’s first public-sector cancer hospital.” The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) approved the project in February of this year, and the building has begun,” she stated.
“Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel and his team are fully committed to making the project a reality for the people of Pakistan.” “Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal was also very supportive,” Dr Isani remarked. She stated that the foundation will include a provision for hospital expansion.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held, and the hospital is expected to be finished in June 2025.
“The project will include comprehensive cancer treatment facilities, including radiology, pathology, surgery, medical oncology, ICU, and emergency care for cancer patients, genetics, and research,” she explained.
According to a Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) official, the scheme’s PC-I was authorised in February 2018. The CDWP approved the project for the hospital building’s construction at a total cost of Rs1.99 billion for civil works only.
“On March 2, 2018, the Ministry of Planning granted approval.” On June 21, 2018, the former Ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division awarded administrative permission. As a result, funds of Rs265 million were earmarked but not disbursed during the fiscal year 2018-19. “The task force on health then shelved the project,” he explained.
“The subject scheme received Rs250 million in funding during the fiscal year 2022-23.” The project will be carried out in two stages. Phase-I’s scope of work includes civil and electrical activities. “Medical equipment, hospital furniture, ambulances, and office furniture will be purchased in Phase II.”
In its meeting on February 6, 2023, the CDWP accepted the amended PC-I titled “Establishment of Cancer Hospital in Islamabad (Revised)” for Rs 3.406 billion. The PWD will carry out the work, which began in April 2023 with the goal of completing the infrastructure within the project timetable, he said.
“Phase II has been submitted to the planning ministry and has been approved in principle,” he said, adding that “authorization is awaited so that the plant and machinery components can be installed phase-wise along with the infrastructure.”
Speaking at the occasion, Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel claimed that cancer care was the most expensive in Pakistan and that “some people politicised” the initiative. Mr Patel stated that when he took over the ministry, Pims staff were on strike because the PTI government had privatized the hospital. “However, we restored Pims’ status and have been working on health reforms,” he said.
