Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust’s new cancer hospital in Karachi is scheduled to open on 29 December 2026, with Chief Medical Officer Dr Aasim Yusuf saying finishing work is still under way at the site. Briefing reporters at the hospital, he said Karachi hospitals report more than 13,000 new cancer patients each year, but care is often fragmented or too expensive for many families. He also stressed that free treatment for most patients is an ongoing commitment, not a one-time expense.
Dr Aasim said the Karachi facility has been built at a cost of Rs 30 billion and, once operating at full capacity, will be twice the size of the Lahore hospital. According to him, key equipment has already arrived, including linear accelerators, a cyclotron, air-conditioning and ventilation systems, and power generators, with installation continuing on site. Recruitment of staff is also under way as the project moves toward opening day.
Funding needs remain steep
The trust says the 2026 budget required to sustain its mission is Rs 43.2 billion, reflecting high patient volumes, rising technology and medicine costs, a difficult economy, and the loss of trained medical professionals. Dr Aasim said the organisation has managed two cancer hospitals through these pressures with support from Pakistanis.
Project detail Figure / status New cancer patients reported each year across Karachi hospitals More than 13,000 Cost of Karachi hospital Rs 30 billion Size compared with Lahore facility at full capacity Twice as large 2026 budget required to sustain SKMT mission Rs 43.2 billion Opening date 29 December 2026
“You have built it”
“We have run two cancer hospitals through these pressures with the support of Pakistanis,” Dr Aasim said. “Karachi has always funded this mission. You have built it; you will run it; and you will make it bigger and better.”
Call for public support
Dr Aasim urged the media to help spread that message, saying even one act of support can help complete Shaukat Khanum Karachi. With installation work continuing and staff recruitment in progress, the hospital remains on track for its December opening, which the trust says will expand cancer care capacity in the city at a time of rising need.
