As the number of cancer patients is increasing with each passing day, the provincial government has been providing free treatment to those suffering from blood cancer. However, with assistance from Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation, authorities have decided to increase the range of treatment. Over Rs1.9 billion has been allocated for the purpose.Senior health officials told The Express Tribune a meeting was held last week where participants decided all cancer patients will be treated for the next three years. The Free Treatment for Poor Cancer Patients Programme will kick off from August.They said the free treatment facility would also be extended to patients from Federally Administered Tribal Areas. The officials added 7,000 cancer patients were being registered annually.“Currently we are offering services to at least 445 people with blood cancer, but the new programme is likely to cover 3,615 people,” a senior health official revealed, requesting anonymity.The first phase of the project was launched in 2011 and some 810 patients were offered free treatment against blood cancer at a cost of some Rs578 million up till June 2014.A memorandum of understanding was signed with Novartis whereby the pharmaceutical company promised to provide treatment for 10 months and the provincial government for two months each year.Overall, the provincial government provided free treatment to cancer patients for six months, whereas Novartis extended support for 30 months. The project concluded in 2014.“We want to keep the project intact and discussed it with the chief minister, who without thinking about it for a second, told us to go ahead,” the official said. “He gave further directions to provide free treatment for all types of cancer.”He added another agreement was signed with Novartis on November 24, 2014 and a sum of Rs200 million was allocated for two years. The official added the government has now decided the project will carry on till 2019 and financially disadvantaged cancer patients will be provided free treatment.According to the MoU, the health department will provide services for the first seven weeks and the rest of the 45 weeks will be the responsibility of the donor company.Officials stated the cost per patient for a week was around Rs90,440 and 445 people were currently benefiting from the project. They added 1,311 patients were treated under the project since 2011 and 866 of those were in the first phase.When contacted, project head Dr Abid Jamil confirmed the developments. He added the total share of the provincial government in the first three years was 7% of the total expenses. He said around 90% of the patients were still living and needed to be further facilitated.“Our patients are mostly young and are being provided oral tablets,” he said. “They can continue with their routines like driving a taxi, official work or other jobs.”Jamil said they used both targeted and cytotoxic therapies. According to the project head, treatment for other cancers was more expensive compared to blood cancer. He said treatment would now be provided for breast, lungs, prostate, stomach, brain and Lymphoma cancer.Published in The Express Tribune, May 17, 2016.