"Parathyroid treatment available in Pakistan," doctors respond to CM Maryam's claim

Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif claimed that her parathyroid condition requires treatment only available in Switzerland and the United States. However, medical professionals have confirmed that this condition can be treated in major hospitals across Pakistan.

Maryam recently traveled to Switzerland with her father and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and then to London to meet with family. 

Speaking to the media in London, she addressed questions about why her illness couldn’t be treated in Pakistan, Maryam clarified that most of her other medical treatments have taken place in Pakistan. 

However, she stated, “There’s no treatment for this illness in Pakistan,” specifically referring to parathyroid disease.

 She added that treatment is unavailable even in the UK and is only offered in Switzerland or the United States.

Maryam also dismissed rumors of throat cancer, stating she has no intention of “playing the victim” by publicly discussing her illness.

What is Parathyroid disease?

Dr Mateen Hotiana, an assistant professor of endocrinology from West Virginia, explained to the BBC that the parathyroid glands, located behind the thyroid in the neck, play a critical role in regulating calcium levels in the body.

If any of these four glands becomes overactive, it releases excessive parathyroid hormone, which increases calcium in the blood by drawing it from the bones.

Is treatment available in Pakistan?

Two Pakistani doctors, speaking to the BBC anonymously, confirmed that treatment for parathyroid disease is accessible in major cities across Pakistan.

Medications and injections for the condition are readily available, and surgery can also be performed in the hospitals if needed.

Dr Mateen Hotiana added, however, that while traditional surgery for parathyroid disease is feasible in Pakistan, the newer, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) techniques are not yet available in Pakistan.

This advanced procedure is currently offered in only a few countries worldwide, including the US