LAHORE: The Punjab government has arranged for the procurement of medicines worth Rs5 billion for cancer patients for the fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27.
Under the directives of Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, these medicines will be provided to cancer patients completely free of cost. Great news for cancer patients: the Health Department has further expanded the scope for the provision of cancer medications.
The procurement process for 26 types of cancer medicines has been initiated for the current fiscal year, with an estimated cost of Rs2.6 billion.
The date for the opening of bids for the procurement of these 26 cancer medicines has been set for November 13, 2026.
The treatment of leukaemia, lymphoma, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, and others is set to become more accessible. Following DTL (Drug Testing Laboratory) verification, certain cancer medications will be supplied to government teaching hospitals in the coming days.
Furthermore, the procurement and distribution of eight essential cancer drugs for the fiscal year 2025-26 have been successfully completed. As part of this supply to cancer centers, 5,016,560 tablets of Imatinib (100mg) have been distributed.
Additionally, 35,200 units of Doxorubicin (50mg) and 21,880 injections of Paclitaxel (150mg) have been provided. Hospitals have also received 15,400 units of Carboplatin (450mg) and 1,040 injections of Trastuzumab (440mg). Moreover, 1,486,912 doses of Nilotinib capsules have been distributed for cancer patients.
Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique stated that the provision of free medicines and facilities worth billions of rupees to cancer patients by the Government of Punjab is a highly welcome initiative. Additionally, the state-of-the-art ‘Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research’ is currently under construction in Lahore, with the project nearing completion.
Secretary of the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department, Azmat Mehmood, stated that the procurement of cancer medications is being ensured in accordance with the schedule. Providing uninterrupted and timely medical treatment facilities to cancer patients remains the top priority.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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