Bilawal breaks ground for 1,200-bed hospital
Peoples Party and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto performed the groundbreaking ceremony of the 1,200-bedded Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases at Korangi.
The ceremony was attended by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Federal Health Minister Qadir Patel, Provincial Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Senator Nisar Khuhro, Executive Director NICVD Dr Nadeem Qamar, all the provincial ministers, diplomats, MPAs and PPP leaders and workers in a large number. The new ZAB institute of cardiovascular disease stretches over an area of 40 Acres, located just North of the intersection of Main Korangi Road with Shah Faisal Korangi Road. The site is bordered on the south by the Institute of Animal Health.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister apprised the chairman about the new ZAB institute and about the health initiatives he has taken so far. He added that after the commendable achievement of NICVD in cardiac quality care and treatment for the people of Pakistan, the ZAB institute would be another huge achievement of his government to establish a 1,200-bed, Murad Shah said that upon completion, the ZAB Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases would be the world’s largest cardiac center, catering to a projected population of 20 million in Karachi and also to the rest of the country.
“This state-of-the-art complex will comprise seven buildings, occupying a total area of 2,400,000 square feet. Equipped with the most advanced medical technology,” he said and added that it would offer specialized cardiac medical services, including 16 major and minor operating rooms, 18 cardiac cath labs, two MRI labs, four CT labs, and a range of imaging procedures. The CM said that the hospital would boast the country’s largest clinical and animal research facility, among other services. The Pakistan Peoples Party prides itself on always recognizing healthcare as one of its major priorities, the chief minister said and added that Benazir Bhutto always urged the party to focus on education and on health.
“Taking her words as our mission, we have concentrated our efforts on these two sectors – health and education, and I am happy to say that our hard work is showing great results,” he said. Murad Shah said that his party and the government believed strongly that while infrastructure development needed to be a focus for the government, our true purpose must be human development. “To this end, we have invested our efforts towards improving healthcare through various endeavors including but not limited to the up gradation of hospitals and trauma centers; establishment of cardiac centers, expansion of women and children’s hospitals; provision of ambulances and other facilities; introduction safer as our guiding transfusion methods and unequivocally supporting projects,” he said.
SUIT:
Talking about SIUT Healthcare Model, the Community-Govt partnership, the CM said that between 2018 to 2022 the largest dialysis center with 380 machines performed around 1350 sessions daily. He added that the largest transplant center performed 6,844 kidney transplants with life-long follow-up and medications for both donors and recipients. The CM said that the center with five lithotripters treating a large number of stone diseases, dedicated pediatric urology, nephrology, and transplant center. He added that it has a dedicated oncology hospital in the public sector with two radiotherapy machines and PET CT facilities.
He proudly said that nearly 15 million people benefited from different services during the last five years. In Sukkur transplant service was started in SIUT Chablani Hospital where at breast cancer unit surgery, chemo, radiotherapy, and PET CT facilities have been provided.
Murad Ali Shah talking about the JPMC Cyber knife unit, said that it has treated 38,000 patients and 18,000 radio surgeries completed since 2012. He added that a new surgical complex was being established there. The new Cyber Knife Unit was being equipped with a robotic surgery facility. GIMS: The Chief Minister said that Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) has performed 756 liver transplants, 147 kidney transplants, 101 Cornea transplants, 43 Bone marrow transplants, 142 cochlear implant procedures and treated 2446 cancer patients, and gamma knife and 194400 patients in emergency.
Child life Foundation: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah talking about his government’s partnership with Child life Foundation said that his government was working with them in 95 Sindh government hospitals and this partnership would further extend to all the government hospitals by the end of this year. Shah said that no child would be more than 30 minutes away from the world-class ICU services across Sindh. “We treat 1.2 million Pediatric Patients per year. “In the near future we are going to integrate with ambulatory services,” he concluded. Earlier, Minister Health Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho talked about the health services being provided by the provincial government. Executive Director Dr Nadeem Qamar gave a detailed briefing about the ZAB institute project and about the performance of the NICVD and its satellites.