Cancer patients from Islamabad, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan will receive free medicines life-saving worth nearly Rs. 10 million per patient under a new five-year public-private partnership between the Government of Pakistan and multinational pharmaceutical company Roche.

The initiative was formalized on Friday with the signing of an agreement between the Ministry of National Health Services and Roche, marking a major step toward improving access to expensive cancer treatments for underserved regions.

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Government, Roche to Share Treatment Costs

Under the agreement, the federal government will contribute Rs. 1 million per patient, while Roche will bear the remaining Rs. 9 million, significantly reducing the financial burden on cancer patients and their families.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Federal Health Secretary Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh said the programme would benefit thousands of patients over the next five years, particularly those from regions with limited access to specialized cancer care.

Treatment to Be Offered at PIMS

Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said eligible patients from Islamabad, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan will receive treatment at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

He highlighted that illness has pushed nearly 13 million Pakistanis below the poverty line, noting that cancer treatment alone costs approximately Rs. 9.8 million per patient over five years, making such support critical for vulnerable households.

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Focus on Lung, Liver, and Breast Cancer

The programme will initially cover patients suffering from lung, liver, and breast cancer, three of the most prevalent and costly-to-treat cancers in Pakistan.

The health minister emphasized that healthcare reform extends beyond treatment to prevention, including initiatives aimed at ensuring clean drinking water and early disease detection.

He credited the prime minister’s leadership for driving health sector improvements and said cancer affects entire families, adding that the initiative aims to ease both the financial and emotional burden on patients across the country.