PET scanning system inaugurated at Shaukat Khanum

‘Modern technology essential for successful cancer treatment’

* Imran Khan says PET/CT scans to cost Rs 32,000 for those who can pay, free for poor patients
* Announces construction of cancer hospital in Karachi
LAHORE: State-of-the-art medical equipment is essential for the early diagnosis and successful treatment of cancer, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said on Sunday.

He expressed these views at the inaugural ceremony of Pakistan’s first Positron Emission Tomography (PET) & Computer Tomography (PET/CT) scanning system at the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital.

Imran said the new system would go a long way in helping cancer patients, who had to travel to Singapore for PET/CT scans until now. “Every week, seven to eight people go to Singapore for the scan, and spend nearly Rs 3 billion on the tests every year,” Imran said.

Cost: He said a PET/CT scan would cost Rs 32,000 for those patients who can afford the expenditure, while the hospital would provide this facility free of cost to poor patients. PET scans cost $1,500 to $2,000 abroad, he added.

Imran praised renowned journalist Hamid Mir for travelling all the way from Islamabad to host the event. He also thanked Pakistan’s Trade Counsel to Belgium Abid Hussain for facilitating the deal by getting the equipment at a reasonable price.

In his opening address, Mir said nearly 70 percent of patients at Shaukat Khanum were being provided free of cost treatment. He also thanked the role of donors for their sustained support for the hospital. Imran said the PET/CT scanning system would revolutionise cancer treatment in Pakistan. The machine, which cost $5 million, is capable of scanning 12 to 13 patients every day, he said.

Pakistan’s Trade Counsel to Belgium Abid Hussain said the equipment was the finest of its kind. Quoting official statistics, he said cancer would soon replace heart disease as the major cause of death across the globe.

Journalists, doctors, donors and people from different walks of life were also present at the inauguration ceremony. People also made donations on the spot, ranging from Rs 300 to Rs 2 million. An elderly lady, Almas Hameed, donated all her assets to the Shaukat Khanum Trust.

The PTI chief distributed shields among those guests who had been involved in the materialisation of the project.

Project initiated: He also announced the construction of a new cancer hospital in Karachi, for which he has already begun collecting donations.