Message from Chairman, Board of Governors, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust

Dear Friends, Assalam-o-Alaikum, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (SKMCH&RC) has continued to provide quality cancer care to all segments of society. It is a living tribute to your kindness and generosity that the hospital continues to provide its services to those who otherwise cannot afford them.
The year 2010 was an extremely difficult year for Pakistan. The devastation caused by the floods and its aftermath are immeasurable and have impacted every individual and institution of the country. Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre too was affected. Our focus in these difficult times was to prudently manage our resources and keep the hope alive for thousands of poor cancer patients being treated at the hospital. I am pleased to share with you that it is because of your faith and enduring support for the hospital that amidst these difficult times, there was no reduction in the number of patients accepted for treatment or compromise on the standard of cancer care being practised at the hospital. Construction of the new inpatient unit to increase our ability to treat more patients at the hospital in Lahore continues to date, while the Shaukat Khanum Diagnostic Centre in Karachi has also started to provide chemotherapy facilities. The government, in recognition of the hospital as a credible institution of the country, awarded land for a cancer hospital in Peshawar last year. We hope to have these facilities up and running within the next three years.
You will also be pleased to know that the hospital was awarded the prestigious Corporate Excellence Award by the Management Association of Pakistan (MAP) in November 2010. This award affirms SKMCH&RC's adherence to the best management practices and endorses its image as the best quality driven healthcare institution in the country.
The cost of providing cancer care in line with international recommendations is continuously on the increase and the annual budget for the year 2011 is approximately Rs 3.5 billion. A number of new equipment and resources required to manage the increasing workload of cancer treatment at the hospital that we were not able to purchase this year need to be purchased on priority now. It is a colossal task but I once again look to your support and belief in the value of life of those who are suffering from cancer, and hope you will open your hearts and contribute generously to help us in achieving our collective mission this year as well.
If we all do a little, we can all do a lot.
Yours truly,
Imran Khan, Chairman, Board of Governors, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust