Punjab govt accelerates work on Rs75b Nawaz Sharif Cancer Institute :Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique

Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique on Wednesday visited the under-construction Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research to review the pace of development, reaffirming the provincial government's commitment to completing Pakistan's first comprehensive public-sector cancer hospital on schedule

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Jul, 2026) Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique on Wednesday visited the under-construction Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research to review the pace of development, reaffirming the provincial government's commitment to completing Pakistan's first comprehensive public-sector cancer hospital on schedule.

Secretary Health Punjab Azmat Mahmood accompanied the minister during the visit, while Additional Secretary (Technical) Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Waseem, the project director and other senior officials were also present. COO IDAP Maira Ali and her team briefed the minister on the project's progress and ongoing construction work.

Speaking on the occasion, Khawaja Salman Rafique said the Punjab government is constructing the state-of-the-art cancer institute in Lahore at an estimated cost of Rs75 billion. He said Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif is personally monitoring the project's progress, adding that construction work is continuing round the clock to ensure timely completion.

The minister said the Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research would become Pakistan's first fully government-run comprehensive cancer hospital, where no patient would be denied treatment. He added that the hospital would provide advanced care for stage III and stage IV cancer patients.

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He said the institute will feature pediatric oncology, modern operation theatres, 10 radiation therapy bunkers, an intensive care unit, a 30-bed emergency ward, a patient waiting hall, residential accommodation for patients, a bone marrow centre, cancer care clinic, doctors' residences and a mosque. In the second phase, a new 300-bed building and a parking plaza will also be constructed.

Khawaja Salman Rafique said the hospital would offer radiation therapy, chemotherapy, endoscopy and other advanced cancer treatment facilities. He added that patients from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and other provinces would also benefit from the facility, describing the project as a national asset rather than only a Punjab initiative. He noted that cancer treatment places a heavy financial burden on families, making accessible public healthcare essential.

Secretary Health Punjab Azmat Mahmood said efforts are underway to complete the first phase of the project at the earliest. He said the Health Department is continuously reviewing the progress and has directed IDAP to ensure the project becomes operational within the stipulated timeline. He added that the institute would provide international-standard medical facilities to thousands of cancer patients from across the country.