KARACHI, Sept 30: A 12-bed dialysis centre donated by the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation will be functional at Muzaffarabad on Oct 7.

According to SIUT Director Prof Adibul Hassan Rizvi, in the wake of October 2005 earthquake in Northern Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, which left nearly 100,000 dead and thousands of survivors severely injured, the SIUT had realized that there was need to set up fully-equipped unit having water treatment, dialysis machines, surgical and intensive care facilities to help survive the patients in the area.

The SIUT is opening a dialysis centre capable of doing 10,800 dialyses per year, having an ICU and fully equipped laboratory at a cost of Rs20 million at the Abbasi Institute of Medical Sciences in Muzaffarabad.

Recalling the services rendered by the SIUT in the earthquake affected areas, Prof Adib said that within 24 hours of the earthquake a 50-member medical team carrying 60 tonnes worth equipment and supplies was sent to the affected areas with the mission to set up medical base camps at Abbotabad, Mansehra and Muzaffarabad. Our team worked there round-the-clock to save more than 250 lives, he added.