Islamabad, February 19, 2026: Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Syed Imran Ahmad Shah, visited Atomic Energy Cancer Hospital (AECH) NORI on Thursday to review welfare initiatives supported by Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal for underprivileged cancer patients.
The Minister was received by senior officials of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, under whose administration NORI operates as a leading cancer treatment institution providing advanced diagnostic and therapeutic services.
During the visit, the Minister said poverty alleviation remains a government mission and reaffirmed commitment to expanding social safety coverage. He noted that Individual Medical Assistance has been enhanced from Rs1 million to Rs1.5 million. Since 2008, PBM has allocated approximately Rs3.44 billion to NORI, facilitating treatment for nearly 29,000 patients.
In the current fiscal year alone, 1,008 patients have received financial assistance amounting to about Rs226.8 million. The Minister clarified that PBM funds are federal endowment grants, not Zakat or charity.
He directed authorities to simplify fund disbursement procedures, reduce patient waiting time, and ensure maximum referrals of deserving patients to PBM support. Emphasizing preventive healthcare, he stated that Pakistan must focus more on preventing disease rather than only treating patients after illness.
Officials briefed the Minister on NORI’s treatment capacity and the role of 21 PAEC cancer hospitals nationwide. It was also highlighted that in 2023, the International Atomic Energy Agency designated NORI as a “Rays of Hope Anchor Centre.”
The Minister later inspected PBM-supported facilities and interacted with patients to assess the effectiveness of welfare services, reaffirming the government’s commitment to ensuring quality healthcare and social protection for vulnerable segments of society.
