KARACHI: Over 2.4 million patients, including those requiring surgeries, were treated free of cost at the National Institute of Cardiovasc­u­lar Diseases (NICVD) facilities across Sindh in 2023.

The network currently runs 10 hospitals and 26 chest pain units.

“The NICVD has emerged as the only cardiac healthcare facility in the country which performed around 4,454 cardiac surgeries and over 76,871 procedures, all free of charge at the main NICVD centre in Karachi and nine satellite centres spread all over Sindh,” said NICVD spokesperson Abdul Nasir.

A total of 9,256 angioplasties and 83 interventions in acute stroke were performed last year, he added.

“A total of 364,593 patients visited the NICVD system from other provinces and received treatment free of cost. Estimated 331,687 patients visited the OPD at the NICVD Karachi last year and 263,215 patients were treated in emergency,” he said, adding that over 50,043 patients admitted to the wards.

The institute has nine satellite centres in the province located in Larkana, Tando Muhammad Khan, Hyderabad, Sehwan, Sukkur, Nawabshah, Mithi, Khairpur and Lyari.

In addition, it has 26 chest pain units: 17 in Karachi and the rest in Ghotki, Tando Bago, Jacobabad, Umerkot, Tando Allahyar, Mirpurkhas, Shikarpur, Thatta and Kashmore.

MoU signed to train health sector personnel

The Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) and the Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Association of Healthcare Professionals Globally for training their workforces.

The ceremony was held at a local hotel where Dr Ashar Afaq, DUHS registrar, Azam Khan, JSMU registrar, and Dr Jamilur Rehman on behalf of the association signed the document.

JSMU VC Prof Amjad Siraj Memon, Dr Jamilur Rahman and Dr Mazhar Sheikh also spoke.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2024