SKMT Celebrates 27 Years of Providing Hope against Cancer in Pakistan
On the anniversary of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centres on December 29, 2021, the acting CEO Dr Muhammed Aasim Yusuf said, “Since 1994, in Lahore, and subsequently in Peshawar, the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, built and funded by charitable donations from all across the country, has carried the torch for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Over the last 27 years, in Lahore, and the last six years in Peshawar, these hospitals have seen hundreds of thousands of patients with cancer, and treated over 75% of these cancer patients completely free.”
He went to say that cancer diagnosis and treatment is complex and multi-faceted, requiring a multi-disciplinary approach. “Treatment is often prolonged and requires expensive drugs, even more expensive equipment and highly-trained staff. Our hospitals are tertiary-care cancer facilities, with all possible services needed for diagnosis and treatment of cancer, as well as for end-of-life or palliative care, available under one roof. At SKMCH&RC, we have shown that clinical excellence for all is achievable in Pakistan, and we continue to provide not only the highest possible quality of both curative and palliative therapy for cancer, but also to conduct research into the causes and treatment of cancer.”
Commenting on the challenges in the past year and major achievements, Dr Yusuf added, “COVID-19 continued to impact cancer care in 2021, forcing us to adapt continuously so that we could safely continue to treat all our cancer patients, while also keeping our staff safe. Throughout this, it was the unwavering support of our well-wishers, in Pakistan and overseas, which allowed us to treat more patients than ever before, irrespective of their ability to pay, while continuing work on our expansion projects.
Major milestones in 2021 included Joint Commission International re-accreditation for SKMCH&RC, Lahore, commencement of surgical oncology and anaesthesia services at SKMCH&RC, Peshawar, and completion of 70% of the grey structure for SKMCH&RC, Karachi. To continue to provide free cancer treatment, and to continue to grow during 2022, we need your support more than ever before. I know that we can count on you to open your hearts for Shaukat Khanum once more, so that one day everyone in Pakistan with cancer can be treated at a facility of the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust.”