The Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Founder of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust, Imran Khan, Friday visited the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SKMCH&RC) in Peshawar to commemorate a key developmental milestone of the Hospital.

He inaugurated the newly constructed operation theatres. The commencement of surgical oncology services marks the completion of the third and final phase of SKMCH&RC in Peshawar.

On this occasion, Khan also planted a Golden Shower tree in the premises of the Hospital, accompanied by the Governor of KPK Shah Farman, Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan, the ministers from the Department of Climate Change, and the CEO of the Hospital, Dr Muhammed Aasim Yusuf.  

After visiting the Intensive Care Unit and Operation theatre, the PM lauded the efforts of the management of the Hospital for establishing such high standard operation theatre and ICU.

He also added that the Hospital in Peshawar is committed to providing an excellent environment and opportunities for training healthcare professionals.  

Showing his delight, the premier said the opening of these state-of-the-art facilities at the hospital marks the completion of the final phase in the commissioning of SKMCH, Peshawar.

“This means that SKMCH&RC, Peshawar now offers all diagnostic and treatment facilities for cancer under one roof.”

He said Shaukat Khanum Hospital was first established in Lahore in 1994 and since then 30percent patients that visited the hospital for cancer treatment were from KP and Afghanistan.

He said keeping this in view it was decided to establish the hospital in Peshawar as well.

The CEO of the Hospital, Dr Aasim Yusuf said that patients from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and adjoining areas were already being treated with chemotherapy and radiation treatment at the Peshawar hospital: “With the inauguration of surgical services, our patients can now access all the major modalities of cancer treatment under one roof. Patients who previously had to undertake the long and physically as well as financially exhausting journey to Lahore in order to have complex cancer surgery will now be able to receive all their cancer treatment closer to home.”