CM Maryam inaugurates first co-ablation cancer treatment center at Mayo Hospital

LAHORE (Dunya News) – Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz inaugurated Pakistan’s most advanced co-ablation cancer treatment center at Mayo Hospital, Lahore.

Addressing the ceremony, she said that Punjab is the first to introduce this cutting-edge technology for cancer treatment, which is not even available in India.

Maryam Nawaz added that two patients have already undergone successful surgeries with this technology, giving new hope to cancer patients. She further stated that during her visit to China, she inspected this technology and instructed to bring the machinery to Pakistan, while more equipment is being procured for treating different types of cancer.

The CM ordered five more machines to be set up in Punjab, establishing poll for doctors and staff.

CM Maryam issued directions to hire master trainers for ablation treatment and met the doctors and paramedical staff of the first ablation centre, appreciating their efforts.

Maryam Nawaz also interacted with a cancer patient undergoing ablation treatment.

Senior Radiologist Dr Shehzad Kareem Bhatti briefed the Chief Minister on the working of the ablation machine.

She was informed that the ablation machine destroys cancer cells by first freezing them with liquid nitrogen up to minus 198°C and then heating them up to 83°C to eliminate them.

During the briefing, it was told that after a 60 to 120-minute operation, the patient was able to walk within a few hours. The treatment of a single patient on the ablation machine costs around Rs1.6 million.

It was further informed that the ablation machine was being used for the initial treatment of liver, lung, and breast cancer.

CM Maryam met the first five patients who recovered after receiving ablation treatment. Patients including Rana Muhammad Asghar thanked CM Maryam Nawaz and called her a benefactor.

Rana Muhammad Asghar’s liver cancer was treated using the ablation machine. He, alongwith Muhammad Akram, Ms Parveen, and Iqbal Bano, are among the first five patients to receive cancer treatment through ablation.

Senior interventional radiologist Dr Shehzad Kareem Bhatti, together with bioengineers and technicians, has received training from China.