LAHORE — Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has launched the ‘CM Special Initiative Card’ to provide free treatment for cancer and heart disease patients in the province. The initiative aims to ease the financial burden on those requiring expensive medical care.
During a meeting chaired by CM Maryam Nawaz, the Secretary of Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education presented a plan to cover the full treatment costs for individuals suffering from these conditions. Patients will be able to access treatments worth up to Rs1 million, ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent access to necessary healthcare.
The program will begin by issuing the CM Special Initiative Card to 45,000 patients in its first phase. This will allow them to receive crucial and costly treatments, including free cardiac surgeries under the Chief Minister’s Cardiac Surgery Program. CM Maryam Nawaz also requested plans to ensure timely treatment for stroke and paralysis patients.
In addition to the CM Special Initiative Card, several health facilities in the province are set to expand their services. The Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cancer Treatment and Research in Lahore will activate its Outpatient Department by January 17. This will save thousands of lives, with 219 new positions to be filled in the first phase.
Other health developments include the full operation of the Nawaz Sharif Institute of Cardiology in Sargodha by January 31, and the Jinnah Institute of Cardiology in Lahore opening on February 15. With a combined 1,581 staff members to be recruited, CM Nawaz has set strict deadlines to ensure the timely provision of life-saving care.
