Islamabad, April 17 (IANS). Free treatment of cancer patients in three major medical educational institutions of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has been affected due to lack of funds. Local media gave this information on Friday quoting officials.
Pakistan’s Health Secretary Shahidullah Khan said that he is in touch with the Planning and Development Department so that funds can be reallocated to restart the treatment of cancer patients. According to ‘Dawn’ newspaper, more than 1,000 poor patients registered at Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) and Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), Peshawar and Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH), Abbottabad are waiting for medicines.
According to sources, 1,500 million Pakistani rupees were required for this free treatment program for the year 2025-26, but so far only 820 million rupees have been released, while the remaining 680 million rupees are yet to be released.
Till now, since August 2025, 347 patients have been given free medicines in ATH. The hospital last received the medicines in December 2025 and is now on the verge of running out of stock. Similarly, the stock of medicines in KTH has been completely exhausted and 623 registered patients are waiting for medicines there.
Oncologists associated with the free medicine scheme say that more than 10,000 patients have benefited from the program so far. He said that this scheme was started for all patients and hospitals cannot refuse treatment to last stage cancer patients. According to doctors, stopping of free medicines can lead to death of many patients, because cancer medicines are very expensive.
Meanwhile, there has been a huge increase in the prices of medicines in the open market including Bohor market in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. According to local media, the prices of medicines have increased by 50 percent to 500 percent.
The prices of diabetes and high blood pressure medicines, antibiotics, stomach related diseases and cough medicines have also increased. The price of insulin injection device has increased from Rs 2,200 to Rs 4,720.
The price of Vitamin-B supplement has increased from Rs 500 to Rs 600. The price of a packet of medicine for indigestion and acidity has increased from Rs 530 to Rs 620. The price of a pack of nutritional supplements and vitamin tablets has increased from Rs 480 to Rs 510.
The price of thyroid medicine has increased from Rs 85 to Rs 290, while the price of common typhoid treatment medicine has increased from Rs 805 to Rs 930. The prices of many other life-saving medicines have also increased.
Critics have called the hike “unbearable” and said essential items like insulin devices, which have cost Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000, are becoming out of reach for poor patients. He has demanded intervention from the government.
–IANS
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