Nasir Azeem |
Few days back Shaukat Khanum Hospital celebrated 23 years of it’s foundation on 29th of December, the date on which Imran Khan’s beloved mother passed away in her fight against fatal disease of cancer. But her death saved many patients and their families from same suffering. This hospital is not merely an artistic piece of infrastructure but a monument of love of a son for his mother.
Imperative Indicators
Globally, healthcare and education are considered as a yardstick to measure the welfare of any state. What kind of education its younger generations are getting which are the basic building block of any human society and what kind of health facilities they are enjoying and at what cost? All such things are one of the indicators to measure the wellbeing of that particular country and the masses living in it.
Over 4,000 new cancer patients are registered annually. Statistics suggest that the top three malignancies across all age groups and both sexes combined were breast cancer, leukaemia, and oral cancer.
The health sector plays an important role in any country’s economy. According to Pakistan’s economic survey report, “a healthy population is not only valued in its own right, but it also raises the human capital of a country thereby positively contributing to the economic and social development.” Therefore, a country’s investment in the health sector can have a long lasting effect on its overall growth.
If a country’s overwhelming majority is healthy, its productivity and economic development will automatically improve. “Ill being” and “ill health” is a multidimensional term covering not only disease but also other dimensions such as hunger, exclusion, isolation, insecurity and powerlessness. Health is a basic right of every citizen in every state. Unfortunately, the citizens of Pakistan are deprived of their health rights. But fortunately, private and welfare health services are shrinking the gulf.
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Third World Miracle
Having good education and healthcare in developed countries is a basic human right but in third world countries like Pakistan it’s a privilege for those who can pay for them and blessings for “have not’s”. Pakistan is still developing both as a country and as nation. This leads to social injustice. But fortunately in nongovernmental organizations, they are many institutions that are providing first world healthcare facilities in a third world environment. Shaukat Khanum is above all those reputed Institutions.
This memorial hospital is not that it’s a hospital with all facilities that generally third world countries borrow from aboard but its research and development wing adds colour to its limitless services for the nation and enhances its potential.
Shaukat Khanum has an annual budget of eight billion rupees, half of which is generated through its internal resources and health services, generally by its labs, which are spread all across the country providing healthcare with credibility. The other half is raised from donations. Though, it sounds easy but this is a serious business and is performed to the highest professional standards, by a team that has grown with the hospital and gained experience over the years.
Transparency matters more than anything else in projects of this colossal size. Because of his credibility, the general public trusts Imran’s mission and believe that he would be able to inaugurate a third cancer hospital in Karachi within a few months after Lahore and Peshawar.
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It is believed that “money spent on quality is money well spent.” Shaukat Khanum backs up this claim. It is an award-winning institution and meets all the standards of an international hospital of the private sector. Hard work always pays off. This hospital speaks for itself and displays some extraordinary leadership qualities of it’s founding member Imran Khan who is currently busy in his fight against the cancer of corruption in the political arena.
Having good education and healthcare in developed countries is a basic human right but in third world countries like Pakistan it’s a privilege for those who can pay for them and blessings for “have not’s”.
About 75 percent of the cancer patients are treated free and those 75 percent unprivileged are able to enjoy exactly the same privileges as the paying patients.
All these things are taken for granted in the developed world but they are a tremendous leap forward for medical care in Pakistan, even a miracle.
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Research Based Jobs
The Best part about this memorial hospital is not that it’s a hospital with all facilities that generally third world countries borrow from aboard but its research and development wing adds colour to its limitless services for the nation and enhances its potential. Research based work is not encouraged in our society but Shaukat Khanum is setting new trends in this sector and working against all odds.
Transparency matters more than anything else in projects of this colossal size. Because of his credibility, the general public trusts Imran’s mission and believe that he would be able to inaugurate.
Over 4,000 new cancer patients are registered annually. Statistics suggest that the top three malignancies across all age groups and both sexes combined were breast cancer, leukaemia, and oral cancer. While breast cancer, forms the basis of much of their clinical research effort; they are also currently conducting research on other types as well.
In the future the hospital aims, to expand its knowledge and ability to fight cancer.
Nasir Azeem is a political analyst. He has interests in contemporary politics and history. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Global Village Space’s editorial policy.