A review of access to cancer facilities in Punjab, Pakistan.

Abstract

Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with only 12 countries in the world succeeding it in terms of population. This review article has the objective of providing novel statistics regarding available cancer therapeutics in Punjab across four different sectors-including government, semi-private, trust and private sectors. Keywords such as "cancer treatment," "facilities," "Pakistan," were used to search Pubmed Database. 36 results were generated: after sifting based on a personal reference list as well as for relevance, 16 articles were finally reviewed. Novel statistics regarding current state of access to cancer facilities were drawn from personal references as well as from studies conducted in other LMICs. There is a gross deficit of oncological services in Punjab, with the ratio of medical oncologists to population being 0.027 per 100, 000, and every oncologist checking 1300-1500 patients annually. Only 21.4% of the population has access to radiotherapy facilities. Major problems include lack of healthcare professional awareness; poor infrastructure including drug access, radiotherapy, and cancer pain management facilities; lack of planning; and lack of educational and research programs. Improving education & training, developing infrastructure based on public-private-partnership models, building cancer registries and organizing national cancer screening programs, as well as encouraging basic health education and research in oncology, are measures that can ensure Punjab's healthcare delivery system becomes capable of handling increasing incident burden of cancer.