March 21, 2003	Friday	Muharram 17, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, March 20: Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) has prepared a Rs112 million PC-1 to acquire new angiography and fluoroscopy machines for cardiac patients.

A hospital source told Dawn that the report was likely to be submitted to the health ministry for final approval within a day or two.

However, the funds for purchasing the machines are likely to be released in the next fiscal year, he added.

He said the angiography machine would cost Rs100 million in case taxes were also levied. However, if the government waived the taxes, the cost would be reduced to Rs60 million.

Pims deputy executive director, Dr Asif Mahmood, when contacted, conceded that the PC-1 for the two machines had been prepared and was ready for submission before the health ministry.

“We have received special instructions from health minister Mohammad Nasir Khan to improve hospital facilities,” he said, adding, that buying of new equipment was also part of the instructions.

The new angiography machine is being acquired to replace the old 1990-model equipment, which has been out of order since October last. As a result, patients had been facing severe problems as they were referred to the Shifa International Hospital or the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology.

Talking about the fluoroscopy machine, a mobile X-Ray unit used in the Cardio Care Unit, the source said, the hospital had an old model unit with faulty display monitor, which, at times, created problems in analyzing the data.

This machine was particularly helpful while planting pacemaker in heart patients.

About the status of a show-cause notice issued to a firm entrusted with the job to make the old angiography unit functional, the source said the firm has submitted it reply, but failed to show the dealership certificate of the manufacturers.