Karachi, Caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh, Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqir, has directed the Health Department to establish new chest units in various hospitals across Karachi to enhance cardiac care. This directive was issued during a meeting at the Chief Minister’s House, focusing on expanding and improving cardiovascular treatment facilities in the region.
According to Chief Minister Sindh, the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), in collaboration with the Karachi Institute of Heart Disease (KIHD) and Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab, will oversee the establishment of three chest units at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Dr. Fakhar Alam, Health Secretary Dr. Mansoor Rizvi, Executive Director NICVD Dr. Tahir Sagheer, and other relevant officials. The Chief Minister emphasized the need for upgrading and improving Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and KIHD by providing necessary facilities.
Furthermore, the Chief Minister instructed NICVD to consult with Mayor Karachi and establish chest pain units at both hospitals to enhance their overall services. Additionally, he directed the health department to accelerate the establishment of a cardiac emergency center in Baldia town, with the NICVD team supporting the Health Department in this endeavor.
The Executive Director of NICVD informed the Chief Minister that the NICVD currently operates 36 units, including 10 hospitals and 26 chest pain units. Annually, over 2.3 million patients are treated in the NICVD system, with free treatment provided to a significant number of patients from Balochistan and Punjab. He noted that all patients possessing a Pakistan ID card are eligible for free services at NICVD facilities.
Annual statistics for 2022 indicated substantial patient care activities in the NICVD system, including over half a million OPD visits and emergency treatments, as well as numerous echocardiographies, ICD and CRT device installations, and cardiac surgeries. The NICVD has made notable advances in surgical mortality reduction and the introduction of off-pump bypass surgery. Additionally, the minimally invasive procedure of Percutaneous Transluminal Mitral Commissurotomy (PTMC) has been successfully performed in Karachi, Tando Mohammad Khan, and Sukkur, treating patients with mitral stenosis.
The Chief Minister concluded by directing NICVD management to enhance facilities and services across all its hospitals and units, reaffirming the Provincial Government’s continued support for NICVD.