KARACHI, Nov 18: The Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation is awaiting the release of the grant of Rs600 million promised by the government for liver transplantation. The premier health institution launched the project some time back hoping that the government would fulfil its promise.

When contacted, Prof Anwer Naqvi of SIUT said: “Despite the fact that the promised amount was mentioned in the budget for the year 2003-04 we are yet to get a single rupee. And as I told you, we have already embarked on this project.”

Over the years the workload at the SIUT has increased tremendously. Back in 1996 its patient population was 111,000. Last year it was 270,000, which means that in the six-year period there has been a 143 per cent increase in SIUT’s patient population.

During this period, the number of admissions has also more than doubled. The same goes for the number of surgeries undertaken. Viewed from the quantum of activities undertaken, therefore, SIUT is on an upswing.

However, there’s a downside to all of this. Because of increased workload, SIUT has been forced to dip into its endowment. As a consequence, and also because the rate of interest has been declining, its return on deposits has been decreasing since 2000.

Return on investment had peaked in 1999 when the institute made Rs15.16 million. In 2000 this figure dipped to Rs14.34 million. Last year it made only Rs7.84 million. Return on investment this year is expected to decrease further to about Rs6.7 million.

This is the prime reason why SIUT today is more dependent than ever on donations, zakat and governmental grant. This is also why a concerted fundraising campaign has been launched by it which is paying some dividends.

However, because several ambitious programmes have been launched simultaneously by it — like construction of a separate oncology centre and a fully-fledged transplantation institute, besides the plans to carry out the country’s first liver transplant — SIUT needs considerable money to maintain its current rate of expansion.

According to a letter sent out to potential donors, despite increased number of activities and corresponding decrease in its savings, SIUT has been providing the best possible care to its patients who are not expected to pay a single penny in consultation fee or charges for medicine. Inquiries made by Dawn show that this may be true as the common people recognize SIUT as the premier health institution in the public sector.

In the last decade, SIUT staff treated more than one million patients of different types and spent more than a billion rupees in the process. All the patients were treated free of cost.

Renal transplantation was undertaken for the first time at the SIUT back in 1985. The institute had carried out at least 1,000 kidney transplants by early 2002. Three transplant surgeries are carried out every week and, according to SIUT, its success rate is comparable to other leading transplant centres in the world.

The proposed liver transplant operations, too, are largely going to be done free of cost at the SIUT. The cost of liver transplantation in the US is approximately $250,000 for non-residents, which is out of reach for most Pakistanis.

Prof Naqvi said SIUT planned to establish a fully equipped Institute of Transplantation and Biological Sciences. For this purpose it had already acquired a piece of land measuring 100 acres at a cost of Rs25 million in Kathor, which is 40km from Karachi.

According to Prof Anwer Naqvi, research studies involving many types of transplantation will be undertaken at the proposed institute. “Studies on transplantation of pancreas, bone marrow, kidney, liver, besides several other organs, will be conducted at the new institute, making it the first of its kind in the country,” he said.

In response to a question, Prof Naqvi said the institution will take something like Rs3 billion to build and equip. SIUT was ready to name the buildings of the proposed institute after the people, or their relatives, who donated generous amounts. SIUT was interested in attracting foreign donors for the plan too, he said.

“However, expenses to be incurred on providing these proposed additional facilities free of cost to a large number of patients will have to be arranged. We shall achieve our goal if we collect Rs2 billion as it will strengthen our endowment fund to such an extent that the profit accruing from it, together with the Sindh government’s grant-in-aid, donations and zakat, will take care of the operating expenses in the years to come.”

Answering a question, Prof Naqvi said the provincial government’s grant-in-aid had been increasing over the years. In 1999 this figure stood at Rs116 million which had increased to Rs125 million last year. This year SIUT will get Rs120 million.

“When we look towards the philanthropists and donors to come to our aid in this hour of trial wouldn’t it be nice if the Sindh government too dipped into its pockets and increase its grant-in- aid further.” He said SIUT expected the provincial government to increase its grant to Rs200 million.

The professor said the federal government had stopped giving grants to SIUT. “However, it has declared that the institute is exempt from the payment of customs duty on import of equipment and tax on its income. This, without any doubt, is helping us but we need grant also.”

Besides treating one million patients since 1991, claimed Prof Naqvi, SIUT had provided postgraduate training to more than 1,500 doctors. “Our track record speaks for itself. We have become one of the largest healthcare institutions in the country and we provide treatment absolutely free.

“I have no hesitation in declaring that SIUT is a national asset and as such it is the duty of every Pakistani to save it. Good nations protect their islands of excellence.

“So, we appeal to the people who have been blessed with the gift of money, and also the authorities, to come to our aid in this hour of need.”

The professor said in the current global environment, when training and employment opportunities were being denied to Pakistanis, SIUT provided hope. “It is imperative for us, as a nation, to save our assets. It is important that we keep our institutions growing.”