LAHORE, Feb 13: The Punjab government will establish a bone marrow transplant centre in Lahore to provide latest cancer treatment at subsidized rates.

This was announced by Punjab Health Minister Dr Tahir Ali Javed while speaking at the inaugural session of the sixth National Haematology Conference organized by the Society of Haematology. Currently, he said, the bone marrow transplant facility was available neither in public sector nor in private sector in the province.

The minister said the government was concentrating on a health programme that targeted the fundamental issues of public health and diseases affecting people.

He said the government would redress all the major problems being faced by doctors, and restore their dignity. He lauded the contributions of the Society of Haematology and assured the participants that the conference recommendations would be given due consideration.

The government, he said, would also acquire cooperation of international donors for the development of better research system in the field. Institute of Child Health and Children's Hospital chairman and dean Prof Dr Sajid Maqbool, Prof Khursheed Khan, Lt-Gen Muhammad Saleem (retired), Prof Dr Abdul Hayee and Dr Nisar highlighted the objectives of the conference.