Staff Reporter
The Punjab Finance Department has released Rs1 billion for free treatment of and medicines delivery to cancer patients across the province.
The provincial treasury department has transferred the budget worth Rs1 billion to the account of the Department of Specialized Healthcare. As per details, free medicines will be provided to cancer patients at Jinnah Hospital, Lahore.
It may be recalled that dozens of cancer patients staged a protest on March 10, this year against the government for stopping the free supply of cancer drugs to poor patients and the increase in the price of the cancer medicines.
The protesters blocked traffic and also shut down the Metro Bus Service at Kalma Chowk and demanded the authorities withdraw the increase in the price of the drug Gleevec oral tablet, which for a cancer patient costs Rs0.4 million for a month’s use.
Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar took notice of the stoppage of medicines to the cancer patients and directed the formulation of a plan of action for the supply of medicine from now onwards and warned that interruption in the regular supply of medicine will not be tolerated.
