KARACHI, March 19: The neuro-surgery ward of the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital became operational on Tuesday, after remaining in-operational for several months.

The patients suffering from brain or spinal cord injury or any other related problem were earlier used to be referred to Civil and Jinnah hospitals. Abbasi Shaheed hospital has now become the third public sector hospital where such a facility in Karachi is being offered. The private sector’s role in this field is limited as a few hospitals offer such facilities.

Due to the efforts by health department of City Government and hospital administration Neuro ward has become operational as no doctor was willing to serve with City Government because of various reasons.

Presently neuro-OPD opens on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with an average of 50 patients a week while operation theatre works on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The department is headed by Dr Masood Javed.

The neuro-ward of the hospital was closed in July 2000 when Dr Raza Rizvi left for abroad and since then all its facilities had been rotting due to neglect.

Concerted endeavours were put in by hospital administration to make the ward and operation theatre functional. Damaged sewerage lines and doors and windows have been repaired.

Now the 28-bed neuro ward has become functional with rejuvenated beds and furnished.

Due to lack of equipment and funds, there was no separate ICU for neuro ward and now a five-bed high dependency unit (HDU) has been formed within the ward for post-operative care of patients.

Serious patients will be shifted to Surgical ICU situated at 1st floor.

Most of the renovation and up-gradation work for neuro ward has been done with donations obtained by senior doctors of the Abbassi hospital in their individual capacity.—PPI