KARACHI: First public sector MRI facility opens on 12th
KARACHI, Jan 4: Federal Health Minister Mohammad Nasir Khan will inaugurate the MRI facility installed at a cost of Rs57 million at the National Institute of Child Health here on January 12.
NICH Director Prof Afroze Ramzan said on Thursday that the formal inauguration of the facility would coincide with the opening of a three-day symposium of the NICH, to be held here from January 12 to 14.
With regard to the MRI facility. she said the much-needed diagnostic facility, purchased with the support of the Federal Ministry of Health, had already been installed and would be fully functional in the next few days.
“This was one of the most needed diagnostic gadget for our hospital as almost 10 to 15 per cent of the NICH's 300 admitted patients require to undergo the relevant process on a daily basis,” she said in reply to a question.
Dr Afroze Ramzan claimed that with the installation of the MRI machine, the NICH will be the first government hospital in the province to have the facility, envisaged to be provided free of charge to needy patients.
In reply to another question, she said once the gadget was installed and the capacity of it was adequately realised against the backdrop of patients' load, the NICH might offer this to child patients referred from other hospitals at 20 to 25 per cent less than what was charged in the private sector.
“This will be free of charge for all in-patients of the NICH needing to have their MRIs done,” Prof Afroze said.
She clarified that the possibility to offer this to patients other than from NICH had not yet been discussed with the government as the NICH administration itself was not sure whether this would be viable. “This, however, could be an option to meet the recurring expenditure,” she said.
Prof Afroze Ramzan said wiring and fitting of the gadget was under way complemented by the construction of a full-fledged MRI suite, with provision for waiting room, changing room, nursing/technicians' counter and MRI room.
Federal Health Minister Mohammad Nasir Khan will also formally inaugurate a refurbished operation theatre and an OPD at the NICH on the same day.
Prof Ramzan also said the NICH planned to have a separate paediatric surgery and transplant building. NICH doctors including surgeons under a special arrangement are being trained at the National Medical University in Singapore.
Plastic surgery has appeared to be a routine procedure at the NICH, where doctors are well trained and competent to perform these. While two known plastic surgeons from the USA, Dr Geoff Williams and Dr Michael Schaffers, will also be attending the coming symposium have committed to offer training to the young doctors on a regular basis.
The NICH under its ongoing expansion plan will have a pathology and pulmonology unit respectively along with an upgraded telephone exchange in the next two years.
“PC-1 for these projects have been approved and we have also received 25 per cent of the total amount, Rs100 million, allocated for these,” she said.—APP
