Pakistan to Provide Free Cancer Medicines Worth Rs. 10 Million per Patient

Cancer patients from Islamabad, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan will now have access to free medicines valued at nearly Rs. 10 million per patient under a five-year public-private partnership between the Government of Pakistan and multinational pharmaceutical company Roche. The Ministry of National Health Services signed the agreement on Friday, with the government contributing Rs. 1 million per patient and Roche covering the remaining Rs. 9 million.

Federal Health Secretary Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh said the initiative will benefit thousands of cancer patients over the next five years, providing critical medicines to those in need from the three regions. Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal stated that treatment will be available at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for eligible patients, covering conditions such as lung, liver, and breast cancer.

Highlighting the financial impact of serious illnesses, the minister noted that nearly 13 million Pakistanis have been pushed below the poverty line, while cancer treatment alone can cost around Rs. 9.8 million per patient over five years. He emphasized that the programme is part of broader healthcare reforms aimed at both treatment and prevention, including initiatives to ensure access to clean drinking water. The minister credited the prime minister’s leadership for ongoing improvements in the health sector and said the programme seeks to alleviate both the financial and emotional burden of cancer on families across Pakistan.