Shan Foods, a leading name in the food industry, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN), a non-profit healthcare network. Founded in 2007, IHHN has now grown into the largest free healthcare network in Pakistan’s private sector with 13 hospitals, 4 regional blood centers, 4 physical rehabilitation centers, 26 primary care facilities and community outreach programs. Through this MoU, Shan Foods will sponsor 142 chemotherapy sessions for pediatric cancer patients every three months for over a year.
Cancer is one of the most neglected non-communicable diseases in Pakistan, with childhood cancer being particularly overlooked. Although more than 8,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year in Pakistan, the limited number of children’s cancer centers means that no more than 50% are correctly diagnosed and treated. Inexpensive treatment coupled with a lack of awareness in families means that a staggering 45% of children with cancer never make it to hospital. In addition, the unavailability of specialized pediatric cancer centers and a specialized workforce trained to treat childhood cancer leads to substandard care and poor survival for children with cancer. These challenges are compounded by the dismal survival rate of childhood cancer in Pakistan; where 85% of children with cancer survive worldwide, only 20-30 out of every 100 children with cancer can hope to survive in Pakistan. IHHN is a ray of hope for pediatric oncology patients and their families in Pakistan, providing free, high-quality treatment at a state-of-the-art pediatric oncology unit, the largest in Pakistan with 85 beds. To date, more than 10,600 children with cancer have been treated here, adding to this fund more than 1,500 children from all over Pakistan and even beyond. Shan Foods has joined IHHN in this noble cause and will cover the cost of life-saving chemotherapy for children undergoing cancer treatment.
Maria Rashdi, Head of Corporate Communications and PR, Shan Foods, said, “Shan Foods strongly believes that affordable, easily accessible and quality healthcare is a fundamental right of every citizen. We appreciate the services of IHHN to ensure this basic right for people. Through this partnership, we strive to contribute to the health and well-being of our children, who are the future of our society.
Appreciating the contribution of Shan Foods, Abdul Bari Khan, CEO of Indus Hospital & Health Network said, “IHHN is committed to providing free healthcare to deserving patients across Pakistan. We greatly appreciate Shan Foods participation in our efforts to cure thousands of children suffering from the devastating disease of cancer.”