On August 19, 2024, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), inaugurated the state-of-the-art CyberKnife S7-FIM at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) in Karachi. This cutting-edge technology is designed for precise, painless, and non-invasive cancer treatment, using high doses of radiation. Alongside this, he also launched two new departments at JPMC: a 120-bed Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences and a 110-bed Department of Neurology and Stroke Unit.
During the inauguration, Bilawal emphasized that the CyberKnife is one of the most expensive machines in the world, yet the provincial government is offering these services free of charge. He highlighted the achievements of the Sindh government, citing the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), National Institute of Child Health (NICH), and JPMC as examples of its effective governance and commitment to healthcare.
Bilawal addressed criticisms of the Sindh government’s performance by pointing out that while other provinces may lack even basic healthcare facilities, Sindh has invested significantly in advanced medical technology and services. He noted that the CyberKnife facility is unique to JPMC in Pakistan, having first been set up there in December 2012.
In his remarks, Bilawal invited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to visit the CyberKnife department at JPMC during his next trip to Karachi. He expressed readiness to support the Punjab government in improving its health sector, indicating a collaborative approach to addressing healthcare challenges across the country.
The new departments at JPMC, which will expand the hospital’s capacity significantly, are expected to enhance the hospital’s ability to provide specialized care and support for mental health and neurological conditions, furthering the provincial government’s commitment to improving public health services.
