ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Health Services has signed a five-year agreement with Roche Pakistan to provide heavily subsidised cancer medicines to patients in federally administered territories, significantly easing the financial strain of treating breast, lung, and liver cancers.
Under the cost-sharing arrangement, the government will cover 30 per cent of the treatment expenses, while Roche Pakistan will bear the remaining 70 per cent. For a typical case costing around Rs10 million, this means the government contributes Rs3 million, and the pharmaceutical company supplies medicines worth Rs7 million.
The programme will launch at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, with plans for expansion depending on initial results. Thousands of eligible patients from Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan stand to benefit from this public-private partnership.
As many as 741 cancer patients from Islamabad, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan will receive free medicines worth nearly Rs10 million each in the first phase of a five-year public-private partnership initiative.
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Key Highlights
- Five-year agreement focuses on subsidised medicines for breast, lung, and liver cancers.
- Government pays 30pc; Roche Pakistan covers 70pc of costs.
- Initial rollout at PIMS in Islamabad, with potential nationwide scaling.
- Targets underserved patients in federal territories, AJK, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
- Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal hails it as a landmark public-private collaboration.
A Step Toward Affordable Cancer Care
Federal Minister for Health Services and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal described the initiative as a “landmark step” in bridging the affordability gap for cancer treatment. Speaking at the signing ceremony, he emphasised that the partnership demonstrates effective public-private cooperation, which the government aims to replicate across other regions
.“This is the first phase of rebuilding trust in such collaborations,” Kamal said, expressing confidence that successful implementation would pave the way for more joint healthcare projects.
The minister also thanked Roche Pakistan for its support. The event was attended by Secretary Health Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh, Director General Health, and Roche Pakistan Managing Director Hafsa Shamsie.
Commitment to Equitable Healthcare
The Ministry reaffirmed its dedication to expanding access to essential treatments and delivering fair healthcare services, especially for those in remote and underserved areas. This initiative reflects Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its healthcare system through innovative partnerships, offering hope to countless families facing the challenges of cancer.
