Islamabad: On the occasion of World Cancer Day 2026, the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) has reiterated its unwavering commitment to providing accessible, affordable, and state-of-the-art cancer diagnosis and treatment facilities to patients across all provinces and regions of Pakistan.
Cancer remains one of the major public health challenges globally and in Pakistan. Worldwide, it claims nearly 10 million lives each year. In Pakistan, conservative estimates indicate over 180,000 new cancer cases annually, with the majority of patients presenting at advanced stages.
PAEC operates a nationwide network of 21 Atomic Energy Cancer Hospitals that collectively provide treatment to approximately 80% of the country’s cancer patients, making it the largest public-sector provider of cancer care in Pakistan. These hospitals register and treat more than 45,000 new patients each year and deliver diagnostic and therapeutic services to nearly one million patient visits annually—regardless of patients’ socio-economic background—saving countless lives.
Strategically located across the country to ensure equitable access to specialized oncology care, PAEC hospitals serve patients in:
- Punjab: Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur, and Gujranwala
- Sindh: Karachi, Jamshoro, Nawabshah, and Larkana
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Peshawar, Abbottabad, and Swat
- Balochistan: Quetta
- Azad Jammu & Kashmir: Muzaffarabad (recently inaugurated)
- Gilgit-Baltistan: Gilgit
These facilities have significantly reduced the need for patients to travel long distances to other provinces for treatment.
Far more than treatment centers, PAEC hospitals represent a beacon of hope and life for thousands of families who would otherwise have little or no access to specialized cancer care.
Equipped with cutting-edge technology—including PET-CT and SPECT-CT scanners, cyclotrons for radiopharmaceutical production, linear accelerators, brachytherapy units, and advanced radiotherapy techniques such as IMRT, VMAT, and CyberKnife—the hospitals also offer comprehensive pathology and laboratory services for accurate diagnosis, staging, and follow-up care.
To address the severe shortage of trained oncology professionals in Pakistan, PAEC continues to invest in human resource development through postgraduate training programs at the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) University.
Internationally, the Nuclear Medicine, Oncology & Radiotherapy Institute (NORI) in Islamabad has been designated an Anchor Centre by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), recognizing its expertise in cancer care, training, and research, and strengthening Pakistan’s contribution to global efforts to control cancer.
On World Cancer Day, PAEC emphasized that awareness and early detection remain the most effective tools to reduce cancer mortality. The Commission called for expanded public awareness campaigns, organized screening programs—particularly for breast and cervical cancer—and the adoption of healthier lifestyles to lower cancer risk.
PAEC renewed its pledge that no Pakistani will be denied timely and quality cancer care due to distance, cost, or lack of awareness.
