A massive crowd pressed against the entrance of the recently opened Co-ablation Cancer Clinic in Mayo Hospital’s Surgical Tower. Over a dozen people, clutching envelopes of medical reports, jostled to get inside but were held back by the security guard.

The public desperation highlighted the clinic’s overnight celebrity. “I came from Multan to get my sister treated. She has stage-four breast cancer,” said Javed Hussain, a man in his 40s. “She is dying. When we heard about the new technology, we wanted to try it, even if in a last-ditch effort to save her life,” he choked.

The guard, who had refused them entry, explained that the treatment might not be suitable for her condition.

In a hospital already packed to capacity on any given day, the Co-ablation Clinic is always busy, thanks to the massive publicity campaign run by the Punjab government. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz inaugurated the clinic on September 17, underscoring its significance.

Speaking on the occasion, the CM declared that the........

© The News on Sunday