BADIN: Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho on Saturday inaugurated a chest pain unit (CPU) of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) in Tando Bago town in this district.

This is NICVD’s 11th unit established in the province, according to the executives of the institute.

In her speech at the inauguration ceremony, Dr Pechuho vowed to set up one chest pain unit in each and every taluka hospital as well as the district headquarters hospital in the province.

She said the unit being inaugurated in Tando Bago was the second one established outside Karachi and would help save hundreds of lives of heart patients.

The minister described the NICVD as one of the best cardiac hospitals in the world, and observed that it was providing relevant treatment to patients free of cost. “Its CPUs have provided treatment to a total of 234,882 patients and saved more than 6,270 lives [of those in a serious condition] at different places in Karachi and Ghotki,” she noted.

Dr Pechuho pointed out that the Sindh government was using containers to provide emergency treatment to patients and said a network of CPUs and satellite centres was reflective of the spirit and efforts of the government. “These hospitals in containers saved thousands of lives over the last two years in Karachi and Ghotki,” she said, and pledged to continue extending such health services to the rural areas of Sindh.

Congratulating the NICVD administration specially its executive director Prof Nadeem Qamar for their efforts in the establishment of various healthcare facilities in the province and linking them with the NICVD chest pain units in Karachi, she said within the next two months, more CPUs would be set up at different locations in the province.

“The CPU at Tando Bago will cover a big population spread over a vast area, including Matli town,” she said, adding that patients suffering from heart stroke would be provided emergency treatment at the CPU to save their lives and then be shifted to Tando Mohammad Khan hospital, where a team of cardiologists would always be ready to undertake primary angioplasty. If there was any complication or some advanced surgical procedures or interventions were required, patients could be moved to the main NICVD in Karachi, she added.

MNA Mir Ghulam Ali Khan Nizamani, speaking to the audience, said that the opening of the Tando Bago unit was a step forward towards fulfilment of the party’s commitment to improve health services.

Prof Nadeem Qamar described the CPU as a gift to the people of Tando Bago and its surrounding areas.

“Very soon, the number of such units will rise to 17 so as to provide cardiac treatment facility to more people closer to their houses, he said.

He claimed that Sindh was far ahead in serving the masses among all other provinces.

MPA Tanzeela Qambrani and elite of the area also attended the ceremony.

Protest by vaccinators

Police moved into action against a large group of vaccinators when they held a protest demonstration outside the Indus Hospital in Badin to draw the attention of visiting Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho.

According to the area police, some of the protesters, demanding employment after qualifying for jobs in IBA test, tried to stop the car carrying the minister. They lay down on the road to block the way of the car and other vehicles comprising her police escort. The police resorted to baton charge to remove them and disperse the protesters.

Later, the protesters told local reporters that the police also rounded up a number of their fellows. Pleading their case, they said they had passed the job test some three months back but were not being issued offer letters.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2019