HYDERABAD, Nov 27: The cardiac surgery unit at Liaquat University Hospital is now completed with the appointment of Prof Mudassar Iqbal as surgeon.

Prof Mudassar Iqbal, who is from Karachi, joined the unit recently after being convinced by medical superintendents of the Civil Hospital, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Vice-Chancellor Prof Noshad A. Shaikh and Chairman Department of Cardiology Prof Nazeer Memon.

Vice-chancellor visited the Invasive Cardiology Unit on Thursday with the hospital’s Medical Superintendent Dr Abdul Jabbar Shaikh.

Dr Sheikh informed journalists that patients from interior should avail the facility at the hospital. He said that the angiography charges have been reduced as all disposable items would be provided to cardiac surgery unit. He said that he has approached the Health Department for the provision of these items.

Prof Memon said that although cardiac surgery has become an independent unit but he would to be part of it. He said that he convinced Prof Mudassar to join LUMHS. He said that cost of treatment would be decided in consultation with MS and the VC.

It was proposed by the vice-chancellor that only patients not able to afford the expenses should be allowed free treatment after endorsement by a committee. He said that even in the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Karachi, around Rs125,000 is charged given the cost involved in treatment. “We make surgery’s expenses as affordable as possible for poor people”, he said.

Prof Mudassar expressed satisfaction over facilities in the ward though there are some deficiencies. He added that the team is quite supportive here. “Equipments are too advanced, not even seen in Karachi. At present we will be doing surgeries once a week and with more facilities and manpower by January there will be three surgeries per week,” he said.

The first surgery of a patient was performed on March 16 by a team of surgeons from Aga Khan Hospital headed by Dr Shahid Sami which proved hospital capable of performing cardiac surgeries. The scheme was conceived in 2003 and work began in 2005 and completed by 2007.

Following first surgery, there remained a gap of several months due to appointment of surgeon and on Wednesday another surgery was performed successfully. Civil hospital Hyderabad caters to health needs of a huge population of lower and upper Sindh.