KARACHI, Sept 1: The Civil Hospital Karachi’s newly-renovated outpatient department for surgeons was inaugurated on Monday by some well-known professors of the city.

The renovation of the surgical OPD is a precursor to the improvement work at the other outpatient departments of the hospital, according to its administration. For this reason the inauguration of the surgical OPD was particularly auspicious, it said.

The OPD has been renovated on a self-help basis and the funds needed for the project were generated by the hospital through its various resources. The total cost incurred is close to one million rupees.

Senior hospital officials, philanthropists and other well-known personalities of the city attended the inauguration ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Mir M. Dahri said the surgical OPD was among the worst departments of the Civil Hospital. “We appreciate it’s renovation not just because it was badly-needed but also because a surgeon, who also is the medical superintendent of Civil hospital, got the department renovated,” he said.

Prof Illahi Bakhsh Soomro said the present administration of the Civil Hospital had gradually made several services available to the patients as well as doctors that were badly needed. He urged the doctors and the administration to help maintain the renovated department.

Prof Tipu Sultan on the occasion said the renovation of the surgical OPD in six weeks’ time seemed unbelievable. Appreciating the efforts put in by the hospital’s administration, he expressed the hope that philanthropists and donors would come forward with proposals to help rebuild and renovate the other OPDs of the hospital.

The medical superintendent of the hospital, Prof Noshad Shaikh, spoke at length about the various projects which were undertaken at his health care centre in recent years.

He claimed that the work being done in connection with the renovation of the hospital’s sewerage system was substandard. The work is being undertaken by a government department.

The MS said that between 300 and 400 people visited the surgical OPD daily. “We have ensured that seating arrangements were provided for 200 people.”

Prof Shaikh said eight consultants would be dealing with the patients visiting the OPD. “For this purpose eight chambers have been built.”

He said the hospital’s Burns Centre would be opened shortly. The well-equipped and adequately staffed centre is being renovated in collaboration with a welfare and philanthropic body.

He also announced that a library would be inaugurated later this week. The Patients Welfare Association has collaborated whole-heartedly for the library meant for the hospital’s doctors. A well-known cardiac surgeon would be handling the library’s affairs.