KARACHI, Dec 2: The chancellor of the Aga Khan University, Prince Karim Aga Khan, on Friday inaugurated a separate facility for diagnosis, treatment and study of cancer on the campus.

The new building named after a great Muslim physician and clinician, Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik, of the 12th century, who had also identified and given clinical description of cancerous tumour.

The six-level building built with donations of Rs250 million from 74 individuals, groups and firms from Karachi and across Pakistan and Rs250 million by the AKU Hospital has been constructed and equipped as a comprehensive cancer centre.

Among many of the services, Ibn Zuhr Building of Oncology Services would also provide high quality nuclear imaging, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgical oncology services and research facilities, said an organizer of the ceremony.

In his speech, the spiritual leader of the Ismaili community, Prince Karim, acknowledged the support extended by the corporate and individual donors and said that in view of the support extended by people from different backgrounds, the AKU today could be termed as a true national university.

He said that the AKU project was launched years back with a sense to reverse the trend that all the centres of excellence existed in the West and people of the region, particularly those among the Muslim Ummah, lived with a sense of vulnerability and ignorance.

Now the AKU stood as an institution and reason for immense gratitude for Pakistanis and it is hoped that in the times to come it would surely play a role in improving the quality of medical sciences and other fields in Pakistan and in the region as well, he added.

Coming on to the newly established oncology centre, Prince Karim said that it was a sign of willingness to change the status of the ailing humanity.

Cancer is a tragedy for thousands and thousands of people, which could not be controlled with limited knowledge.

AKU President Shams Kassam Lakha, Director Medicine Dr Farhat Abbas, Munawaar Hamid also spoke on the occasion. Later Prince Karim took a round of the new building along with senior faculty members and members of the board of trustees.