ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Health Services has entered into a five-year agreement with a pharmaceutical company to provide subsidised medicines for cancer patients in federally administered areas. The accord aims to reduce the financial burden of treatment for cancers of the breast, lung, and liver. Under the cost-sharing plan, the government will bear 30pc of the cost, while Roche Pakistan will cover the remaining 70pc.

Therefore, for a patient whose treatment costs around Rs10 million, the government will contribute Rs1 million, while the pharma firm will supply medicines worth Rs9m, according to the health minister.

The project will initially be launched at the Pak­is­tan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) in Isla­m­abad, and will be expanded based on performance.

Under the agreement, thousands of eligible patients from Islamabad, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan will be able to receive subsidised cancer medicine.

Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Health Services and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal called the initiative a “landmark step towards reducing the affordability gap in cancer treatment.”

“This partnership reflects a strong model of public-private collaboration, which the government intends to replicate in other regions of the country,” he said during the signing ceremony.

“This initiative marks the first phase of rebuilding trust in public-private partnerships,” Mr Kamal said, adding that successful implementation would lead to more collaborative healthcare projects.

The minister expressed gratitude to Roche Pakistan for its cooperation. The signing ceremony was also attended by Secretary Health Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh, Director General Health, and Roche Pakistan Managing Director Hafsa Shamsie.

The Ministry of National Health Services reaffirmed its commitment to expanding access to life-saving treatments and ensuring equitable healthcare services for all citizens, particularly those from underserved regions.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2026