Pakistan: Allotted fund for 1st cancer hospital in Balochistan spent somewhere else

In yet another instance of corruption and mismanagement, the fund allotted for the first cancer hospital in Balochistan was spent somewhere else.

The government of Balochistan had reserved a big fund in the budget of 2006 for the first cancer hospital in the province but at the end of every year, the fund was used for some other purpose, reported Pakistan's vernacular media.

Former Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan inaugurated the cancer section in Shaikh Zaid Hospital. The building was completed but it had some defects in its layout which were not corrected so far.

He had promised to build a cancer hospital which was a long-standing demand of people to ensure healthcare facilities to them.

Necessary machinery was never installed in the first cancer hospital because places were not available for installation of the machinery and the problem is not solved till now, added the local media.

Due to delays in the instalment of necessary medical equipment, people have to go to Karachi, Islamabad or Lahore for treatment which is very costly for poor people.

The Balochis urged the Pakistan government to complete the hospital and install machinery on a war footing and open the hospital to the public.

It should be noted that the treatment of cancer, liver and kidney transplantation is the most expensive and requires millions of rupees.

The government of Pakistan has been dealing with animosity among the tribes of Balochistan since the time the country came into existence in 1947.

The causes of the conflict with Balochistan include a ripe ethnic nationalism along with feelings of economic and political exclusion.

Balochistan is located in the South West of Pakistan and constitutes half of the country's territory. Demographically though it constitutes a mere 3.6 per cent of the total population of Pakistan. The province is home to over 13 million people, mostly Balochis.

Balochistan is Pakistan's largest, but least developed province. It is one of the most important provinces of Pakistan because of the high concentration of natural resources including gas, oil, copper and gold.

However, despite the richness in natural resources, Balochistan continues to remain the poorest province of Pakistan.

( With inputs from ANI )