QUETTA: The Balochistan government announced a major expansion of its Cancer and Deadly Diseases Treatment Plan, making the province the first in Pakistan to offer comprehensive, free treatment for a wide range of life-threatening illnesses, including multiple major cancers.
The initiative is part of a public-private partnership between the provincial government, led by Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, and global pharmaceutical leader Roche Pharma.
Under the expanded programme, patients across Balochistan will receive free treatment for high-cost and debilitating diseases, including multiple sclerosis, Hemophilia, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), Diabetic Macular Edema, and cancers of the breast, liver, and lungs.
The program aims to ensure no citizen is denied life-saving treatment due to financial constraints, marking a major shift in the province’s healthcare system.
Officials finalized the formal launch during a high-level meeting at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat. Provincial Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar chaired the session, which included senior Health Department officials and Roche Pharma representatives.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between Secretary Health Muhammad Dawood Khilji and Roche Pakistan Managing Director Hifza Shamsi, formalizing the partnership.
Speaking at the event, Health Minister Kakar praised CM Bugti’s leadership and described the initiative as a revolutionary milestone in public welfare.
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“The project for free treatment of cancer and deadly diseases is an extraordinary milestone for public welfare,” Kakar said. He added that the government remains committed to raising healthcare standards to international levels through strategic collaborations, ensuring access to modern treatment and care for all citizens.
