The Punjab government has announced a major healthcare initiative to provide free palliative care for stage-III and stage-IV cancer patients at the newly planned Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research in Lahore. This development is part of a broader effort to improve access to specialized care for critically ill patients who often struggle to find treatment options in the later stages of cancer.
The new facility will be the largest government-run cancer hospital in Punjab, featuring a 900-bed capacity. A dedicated 100-bed palliative care block has been included in the project’s PC-I plan to specifically address the needs of terminal cancer patients, many of whom face severe pain and are frequently left untreated due to limited resources in the public health sector.
According to Punjab’s Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Minister Khwaja Salman Rafique, the new institute will also offer outpatient services, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. He emphasized that palliative care services will be fully integrated into the facility’s treatment offerings, which marks a significant step forward for cancer care in the region.
During the 60th meeting of the Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) for the fiscal year 2024–25, three major healthcare schemes totaling Rs. 15.736 billion were approved. These include the Jinnah Institute of Cardiology at Jinnah Hospital Lahore, procurement of advanced medical equipment for the cardiology center, and a feasibility study for upgrading teaching hospitals. The Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research, with a total investment of Rs. 74.92 billion, was also cleared by the PDWP.
Construction of the cancer institute is underway, with part of the facility expected to be completed by February 2026. The 100-bed palliative care block is scheduled to become operational by March 2026, aiming to offer comfort, pain management, and emotional support to patients in the most advanced stages of cancer.
This initiative signals a shift toward more compassionate healthcare planning in Punjab and could improve the quality of life for thousands of cancer patients who currently lack access to proper end-of-life care.
