Punjab Chief Minister Allocates Extra Rs. 5 Billion for Stroke Care

Punjab's chief minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced an extra Rs5 billion for stroke treatment and plans new specialized health facilities across the province.

NationPulse Desk

Oct 30, 2026 · 12:50 PM 2 min read

Key takeaways

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced an extra Rs5 billion for stroke treatment in Punjab.

The government will create stroke centres, cardiac, paediatric and cancer hospitals at every divisional headquarters, plus 15 new stroke centres.

Rescue 1122 has saved 85 stroke patients by rapid transport to specialised centres.

Punjab currently operates 40 stroke centres and has performed 2,400 cardiac surgeries.

Rs100 billion has been spent on free medicines, treating 100 million patients in the last year.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced an additional Rs5 billion for stroke treatment and vowed to broaden specialized health facilities throughout the province.

Addressing a World Stroke Day gathering at the Punjab Institute of Neurosciences (PINS), she said the government will set up stroke centres, cardiac units, paediatric centres and cancer hospitals at each divisional headquarters, plus 15 more stroke centres.

The chief minister added that heart-transplant surgeries will soon start at the Jinnah Institute of Cardiology and warned that no stroke patient will be turned away for lack of funds, instructing officials to inform her directly if extra financial aid is needed.

Maryam Nawaz highlighted that timely action is vital in stroke cases, noting a four-to-five-hour window can greatly improve recovery, and urged anyone with symptoms like arm weakness or speech difficulty to call Rescue 1122 immediately.

She said Rescue 1122 has saved 85 stroke patients by transporting them promptly to specialised centres, commending rescue workers and medical teams.

Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique reported that Punjab now has 40 stroke centres - 38 primary and two comprehensive - and that 2.6 million dialysis sessions and 2,400 cardiac surgeries have been performed in the province.

The chief minister noted the expansion of cardiac services with catheterisation laboratories planned in 20 districts and a paediatric centre to be established in every division so families won't need to travel to Lahore for specialised care.

She also said a cancer hospital under construction in Lahore will offer free treatment to underprivileged patients, alongside a pain-management centre for advanced-stage cancer, and that facilities for genetic and blood disorders are being developed at the Nawaz Sharif Medical District.

Maryam Nawaz stated that Rs100 billion has been spent on free medicines, that 100 million people were treated at government hospitals in the past year, and that between 15,000 and 16,000 children - including some from other provinces - underwent cardiac surgery in Punjab.