Multan: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif inaugurated a new 100-bed cancer centre at Nishtar Hospital on September 18, along with PET-CT, cyclotron and cryoablation facilities, expanding advanced cancer diagnosis and treatment in South Punjab.
The centre includes OPD, ICU and dedicated wards, chemotherapy and radiotherapy rooms, a radiopharmaceutical production laboratory, pharmacy hot lab, CT simulator and linear accelerator facilities. A separate cancer ward for children has also been established.
The new cryoablation system uses extreme cold through a needle-like probe to destroy selected cancerous tissue. It is a minimally invasive treatment, but its suitability depends on the type, size, location and stage of cancer, so it is not a replacement for every form of cancer treatment.
Earlier official briefings said the PET-scan and cyclotron project was intended to give patients in South Punjab access to advanced diagnostic services locally and reduce the need to travel to Lahore or other major cities. APP had described the Nishtar PET-scan facility as South Punjab’s first of its kind.
The Chief Minister’s public statement also says modern diagnosis, treatment and medicines will be provided locally and free of cost. That should be presented as a Punjab government commitment, rather than interpreted to mean that every cancer treatment or medicine will automatically be free for every patient without eligibility or clinical conditions.
