Staff Reporter:
QUETTA: Cancer cases across Balochistan have doubled over the past year, exposing serious gaps in the province’s healthcare system and leaving thousands of patients with limited access to treatment.
According to Health Department sources, nearly 10,000 cancer patients were registered at CENAR Cancer Hospital in Quetta in 2024. In the following year, the number rose sharply to around 22,000 cases, marking a worrying 100 percent increase.
Medical officials say the most commonly reported cancers in Balochistan include breast cancer, colon and intestinal cancers, and blood-related cancers. Doctors are particularly concerned that 70 to 80 percent of patients arrive at hospitals in the final stages of the disease, when treatment options are limited and survival chances drop significantly.
Despite the rising burden, CENAR remains the only fully functional cancer hospital in the province. A dedicated cancer hospital built several years ago within the premises of Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Quetta, is still not operational. As a result, patients from remote and underserved districts are forced to travel long distances and endure long waiting periods for care.
Health experts emphasize that early detection, routine medical screening, healthier lifestyles, balanced diets, and a clean environment are essential to reducing cancer-related deaths.
The sharp rise in cancer cases has renewed calls for urgent government action to expand oncology services and improve early diagnosis across Balochistan.
