F.P. Report
LAHORE: Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centres (SKMCH&RC) are state-of-the-art cancer centres located in Lahore and Peshawar, Pakistan. SKMCH&RC, Lahore opened in 1994 and it was the first project of the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust, which is a charitable organisation established under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860 of Pakistan.
Making quality Cancer care a reality for all
Throughout the pandemic, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centres (SKMCH&RC) in Lahore and in Peshawar continued to deliver cancer care, based on the principles of quality and equality.
In March 2021, SKMCH&RC, Lahore was once again accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), an international body based in the United States that recognises hospitals all over the world for quality in all aspects of their functioning. The comprehensive re-accreditation survey was held from 15th to 19th March, with a team of expert surveyors from the JCI evaluating compliance to hospital standards related to a variety of areas. These included the International Patient Safety Goals, patient assessment and care, anaesthesia and surgical care, medication management, patient and family education, quality improvement, infection prevention and control, governance and leadership, facility management, staff qualifications and education and information management. Of note is the fact that SKMCH&RC, Lahore, was surveyed against new and far more stringent standards set by the JCI in its 7th edition of standards.
SKMCH&RC, Lahore continues to invest in latest technology
At SKMCH&RC, Lahore, the commissioning of a second PET-CT scanner in 2021 doubled the capacity to perform scans and drastically reduced waiting times. As part of the Hospital’s commitment to remaining at the cutting edge of technology, a new state-of-the-art linear accelerator with stereotactic body radiotherapy capability became functional in March 2022. The department of Clinical & Radiation Oncology is equipped with five linear accelerators and it is the largest department in the country delivering more than 50,000 radiation therapy sessions each year.
Expanding services in SKMCH&RC, Peshawar
The fact that 30 percent of patients seen at SKMCH&RC in Lahore hailed from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and surrounding areas, and recognising the physical, emotional and financial obstacles they had to overcome in order to access treatment, the second SKMCH&RC opened in Peshawar, in 2015. Surgical oncology services started in April 2021 with two modular operation theatres now operational, where 806 procedures were performed during 2021. Since all the main treatment modalities for cancer are now available at SKMCH&RC, Peshawar, thousands of patients will benefit from these services, closer to their homes, in years to come.
Impact of your support
According to one estimate, there are 170,000 to 200,000 new cases of cancer in Pakistan each year. In 2021, we recorded more than 12,000 new patient registrations across the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust facilities, an increase from previous year, despite the challenges presented by the pandemic. Across these various facilities, 210,667 patients visited the outpatient clinics and 14,840 admissions were recorded. Approximately 6 million pathology tests, 198,393 radiology and nuclear medicine imaging studies, 77,809 radiation therapy sessions and 19,128 surgical procedures were performed. 63,725 chemotherapy visits were recorded and more than 1,963,904 prescriptions (including the latest chemotherapeutic agents) were issued from pharmacy.
SKMCH&RC continues to strive, with each passing year, to take in as many new cancer patients as possible through various expansion and construction projects. For this reason, construction of Pakistan’s third and largest SKMCH&RC in Karachi continued uninterrupted in the year 2021, with nearly 75% of the grey structure completed by the end of the year. It is expected that, with the ongoing support of generous donors, this project will be completed in late-2023.
Care offered by highly trained professional
SKMCH&RC has a team of highly trained healthcare professionals that ensures comprehensive and compassionate care for all patients, with dignity and in accordance with international standards of care.
SKMCH&RC is also actively involved in education and training of healthcare professionals and offers postgraduate training programmes recognised by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan (CPSP) in Radiation Oncology, Pathology, Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, Medical Oncology, Internal Medicine, Anaesthesia, General Surgery, Pathology Haematology, Surgical Oncology, Paediatric Oncology, Gastroenterology, Infectious Diseases, Pulmonology, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Breast Surgery, Pain Medicine, Microbiology, Endocrinology, Critical Care Medicine, Clinical Haematology and Palliative Medicine. SKMCH&RC also offers a bachelor’s degree in Oncology Nursing, as well as diploma programmes in perioperative nursing, oncology/cancer nursing, emergency/critical care nursing and medical laboratory technology.
Annual budget for 2022
For the year 2022, the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust has a budget of Rs. 28 billion, which will help not only to treat an ever-increasing number of cancer patients for free at the facilities in Lahore, Peshawar, and Karachi, but also to continue the construction of Pakistan’s third and largest SKMCH&RC in Karachi.
Zakat utilisation
Since the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust was established, strict transparency has been ensured in all its financial systems, with audited annual accounts being made publicly available. All necessary steps have been taken to ensure that the utilisation of Zakat complies with Islamic injunctions, by using it only for direct patient care, and not for construction. As part of this commitment, an MOU was signed with Pakistan’s largest Islamic bank and SKMT received Shariah Compliance Certificate for implementation of a comprehensive Shariah compliance framework for the collection, utilisation, and management of Zakat funds, in line with Islamic principles.
