BBH expands urology care amid PKLI delays

While the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Transplant Institute (PKLI) Rawalpindi remains non-functional, the Urology Department at Benazir Bhutto General Hospital has stepped up, completing 12 kidney transplants and initiating six more cases. Officials have announced that PKLI is expected to become operational next month.

The Urology Department at Benazir Bhutto General Hospital operates daily, except Fridays and Sundays, with a focus on providing free and subsidised treatment. However, the free services are only available to those eligible for zakat, as PKLI's current status imposes charges for outpatient consultations, emergency care, dialysis, and lithotripsy.

Despite limited government funding, the Urology Department at Benazir Bhutto General Hospital has expanded its free treatment offerings, attracting a surge of patients. The influx has raised concerns about delays and infection risks due to overcrowding, with only two operational theatres handling all cases.

In response, two additional operating theatres have been constructed with a donation of Rs25 million, spearheaded by local and expatriate philanthropists. The new theatres are set to become functional in December, with operational costs covered by donations, including salaries for doctors and technical staff.

Currently, the department performs procedures like percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNCL) for kidney stone removal and laparoscopic surgeries for bladder cancer.

It also addresses congenital kidney and bladder defects in children and runs a functional dialysis unit.

Professor Dr Zainul Amir, Head of the Urology Department, confirmed that the department's two additional theatres will coincide with the annual scientific conference in December. "Once operational, the four theatres will accelerate kidney transplants and expand other urological procedures," he said.

The recent upgrades to the urology department were made possible through a grant facilitated by Member of the National Assembly Muhammad Hanif Abbasi and significant contributions from the late Dr Muhammad Aslam, former Chairman of the Board of Management of Allied Hospitals.