Because it hurt me, I won’t let it hurt you

• Shahbaz says he is aware of the pain felt by cancer patients
• Punjab government to provide land, machinery for cancer hospital

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, while announcing provision of free medicines to the cancer patients, said that Punjab government will spend a sum of Rs 1.5 billion on the programme. He said the Punjab government would provide the land and the machinery for the hospital.

He was addressing a function held in connection with World Cancer Day at a local hotel on Tuesday.

He said that Health authorities and medical experts should present practicable recommendations for the cancer hospital project on which immediate progress will be made by the government.

He said that he has himself been a cancer patient but due to the grace of Allah Almighty and the prayers of people, he has recovered. He said he firmly believes that God has given him a new life only to serve the masses and ailing humanity.

Announcing the cancer hospital project to be executed with the cooperation between Punjab government and NOVARTIS, the chief minister said that the agony and hardships faced by cancer patients and their families are not hard to understand. Narrating his personal experience as a cancer patient for the first time, the chief minister said that in 2003, when he was in Jaddah, a tumor was detected in his stomach. He said that an Egyptian doctor after check- up performed surgery and he shifted to his house next day but after some days, it was disclosed that the tumor was malignant. Shahbaz Sharif said that he was taken to a New York hospital where the doctor expressed surprise that the surgery had been performed without biopsy. He said that he had to undergo a surgery again. Therefore, he said, when in 2010, the worst floods devastated over million of houses he remained engaged in relief operation for the distressed people round the clock as he had come to realise that the purpose of his life was to serve the people. Similarly, he said, when dengue attacked Lahore in 2011, Sri Lankan experts told him that it was a very serious problem and 25,000 human lives were threatened but it was due to the commitment and hard work that only a few human lives were lost.

He said that vigorous efforts were made by the government with dedication and zeal and an impossible task was achieved in 2012 and no one died due to dengue during this year. He said that it was a humanitarian service which he performed with the help of a team of highly dedicated workeRs

The chief minister said there was hope and the cancer patients could be kept alive, adding that he would continue to serve people.

Experts would provide input for the hospital, he said, adding that the poor and the rich would gain benefit from it.