THE inaugural ceremony of Pakistan’s first PET CT scanning system was held at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre on Sunday.

The PET CT Scanning is an essential tool in early diagnosis, accurate staging and precise treatment and monitoring of the cancer, and SKMCH & RC has spent around $7 million on purchase, installation and commissioning of this machine.

Imran Khan, chairman BOG, Shuakat Khanum Memorial Trust, the Ambassador and Trade Commissioner of Belgium in Pakistan, cured and under-treatment cancer patients at hospital, a large number of distinguished guests from different walks of life and donors were presented.

Hamid Mir, a popular journalist, hosted the event while Sumera Yousaf, the first registered patient of the hospital, was the chief guest and she inaugurated the PET CT Scanner. She had also inaugurated the hospital back in 1994.

In his welcome address, hospital Chief Executive Officer Dr Faisal Sultan thanked the guests and donors for the participation in the event. Abid Hussain, Trade Commissioner, Royal Embassy, Belgium and Asad S Jaffar, Chairman & CEO, Philips Pakistan, congratulated Imran Khan and hospital management on the successful completion of this project. Moreover, equipments for production of FDG have been supplied by the company, Lon Beam application of Belgium, with 35 per cent grant given by Wallon Region of Belgium on the recommendation of its Trade Commissioner in Islamabad.

The scanner is made by Philips and the event is sponsored by Matora Digionics, the sole distributors of Philips and IBA in Pakistan.

Imran Khan, in his concluding address, said until now patients from Pakistan had to go Europe, Singapore or India for these scans which were considered an integral part of the treatment of many cancers. With the commissioning of this machine at the hospital, the country will save an amount Rs three billion per year.

Shaukat Khanum Hospital is offering this test only in Rs.32,000 while abroad it costs $2000 per test.

This hospital as part of its mission will provide free of cost scan to the deserving patients. The SKH is proud of being the first hospital to provide this facility in Pakistan, he further said.

He thanked the donors, IBA, Philips, Matora Digionics and all those who had contributed to this project.