Punjab Free Specialised Treatment Gets Rs37bn

Punjab free specialised treatment has received over Rs37 billion for patients across a range of specialised health programmes at selected hospitals in the province. Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique gave the figure while chairing a meeting on the health sector, and ProPakistani reported it on November 4, 2026.

The minister said historic and foundational measures were being taken in the health sector. He said waiting lists for treatment had fallen sharply under the Chief Minister’s special health programmes, covering adult cardiac care, cancer, dialysis, stroke, paediatric heart surgery and transplants.

Hospitals have been directed to speed up the reduction of waiting lists further in each of those areas. That direction matters most for families who wait months for a procedure. A shorter waiting list can mean the difference between a planned operation and an emergency admission, and it can also cut the cost of repeated visits, tests and private care while a patient waits.

Punjab free specialised treatment: what the money covers

The programmes break down into named schemes, each with its own annual cost. The table below sets out the figures given at the meeting.

The cancer programme is the largest single item, at Rs10 billion a year. It covers the full course of care, from diagnosis through chemotherapy and radiotherapy to surgical and medical therapies. That breadth matters, because cancer costs often pile up across stages, and a scheme that covers only surgery would leave families to pay for drugs and radiation themselves.

The adult cardiac programme, at Rs3 billion a year, covers free treatment for patients with heart disease. The stroke programme, at about Rs1.25 billion a year, covers free treatment for stroke patients. Stroke care is time-critical, and free access can encourage families to seek hospital care at once, rather than delaying while they arrange money.

Under the Children’s Heart Surgery Programme, heart surgeries have been performed completely free of charge for over 16,857 children across the province. That figure is the clearest outcome number in the report. It shows a programme that has already reached a large number of families, rather than one that exists only on paper.

Cardiac hospitals reviewed at the same meeting

The health minister also reviewed the administrative affairs and performance of two cardiac hospitals: the Nawaz Sharif Cardiology Centre in Murree, and the Sahiwal Institute of Cardiology. The meeting reviewed the current status of medical equipment and human resources at those hospitals, to ensure top-tier medical facilities in Punjab’s cardiac hospitals.

Punjab Health Secretary Azmat Mahmood said measures including the procurement of medical equipment, the deployment of human resources and other foundational initiatives were being taken to ensure excellent medical care in Punjab’s cardiac hospitals.

The Murree centre drew special mention. The minister said it was proving to be an excellent treatment facility for the people of Murree and surrounding areas. For the first time in its history, the Punjab government has procured modern machinery worth millions of rupees for this hospital, which now offers patient care through a fully functional catheterisation laboratory, known as a Cath Lab. A Cath Lab allows doctors to diagnose and treat heart conditions through catheters, without open surgery in many cases.

The Sahiwal Institute of Cardiology is also providing high-quality medical care, according to the minister. He said the government was providing state-of-the-art cardiac care to patients, in line with the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

For patients, the practical question is access. The report does not list which hospitals are covered under each programme, or how a patient applies. Families seeking free treatment should therefore confirm eligibility and the referral route at their nearest covered hospital or district health office, rather than assuming every hospital in the province offers every programme.

The scale of the funding also invites a fair question about follow-through. Over Rs37 billion across programmes is a large commitment, and its value will be judged by waiting times, completed procedures and outcomes, not by the announcement alone. The children’s heart surgery figure gives one yardstick. Similar outcome figures for adult cardiac care, cancer and stroke would let the public judge the rest of the package in the same way.

Frequently asked questions

How much has Punjab allocated for free specialised treatment?

Over Rs37 billion has been provided for free treatment across specialised health programmes at selected hospitals.

What does the cancer programme cover?

It covers diagnosis, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgical and medical therapies, at an annual cost of Rs10 billion.

How much funds adult cardiac care and stroke care?

Adult cardiac surgery receives Rs3 billion a year, and stroke management receives about Rs1.25 billion a year.

How many free child heart surgeries have been performed?

Over 16,857 children across Punjab have received completely free heart surgery under the Children’s Heart Surgery Programme.

Which cardiac hospitals were reviewed?

The Nawaz Sharif Cardiology Centre in Murree, which now has a fully functional Cath Lab, and the Sahiwal Institute of Cardiology.

How can patients access these programmes?

The report does not list covered hospitals or the application route, so patients should confirm eligibility and referral at their nearest covered hospital or district health office.