Sindh Government has approved to release $7 million for the construction of a Surgical Complex building at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) which will feature a Cyberknife Stereotactic System – that treats tumours with minimal harm to healthy brain cells. The decision also gave directives to construct a Cyberknife Satellite Centre at Sukkur.
The decision was taken by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah while presiding over the JPMC Cyberknife and Patients Aid Foundation meeting held in CM house. In attendance were PSCM Sajid jamal Abro, Secretary Finance Hassan Naqvi, head of Radiology, Cyberknife Robotic Radiosurgery & Oncology JPMC Professor Dr Tariq Maehmood, patients’ foundation Chief Mushtaq Chappra and Shabir Diwan.
Cyberknife Robotic Radiosurgery & Oncology JPMC Professor Dr Tariq Maehmood stated that the Surgical Complex was being constructed at a cost of $35 million which would facilitate 2000 beds. The CM promised to support these developments and ordered the finance secretary to manage funds.
Dr Mehmood added that about 67000 cases of cancer were reported each year and patients from 131 cities were being provided with the Cyberknife treatment. A new Cyberknife system is being installed in JPMC and would be completed within a year.
The CM was also informed that a tomotherapy – a radiation therapy modality- is also being installed at JPMC. This new addition costing $4 million will be the 17th machine of its kind to function globally.
Briefing the CM, the meeting was informed that about 24 cancer patients were treated everyday at the hospital and 200 at the out-patient department are treated free of charge.
Other than this, Mushtaq Chapra of the Patients Aid Foundation stated that a food system was being set which will provide free food to attendants at Farheen and Ashraf Mukaty Jinnah Food Complex.
