NICVD to get international-standard clinical trials unit

The National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) is setting up an international-standard clinical trials unit, aimed at promoting medical research and attracting foreign funding. The unit is to be established on the upper floor of the old Outpatient Department (OPD) building, and will comply with the guidelines of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).

NICVD Executive Director, Tahir Saghir, stated that the facility will support advanced research and improve treatment quality, particularly for children who have had to seek cardiac care abroad due to lack of local facilities. The project is being developed under a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) model, with a private firm constructing and handing over the unit, while NICVD focuses on monitoring. The facility will also include a conference hall and library.

The lower floor of the old OPD will be converted into an expanded emergency ward, increasing the current bed capacity from 80 to between 160 and 180, while a centralised medical hall will accommodate multiple emergency departments.

A new OPD building is also under construction and expected to become operational by October or November. This project is also being executed under the BOT model, with an estimated cost of Rs1.25 billion. The building will have a separate entrance from outside the hospital, to reduce congestion within the main building.

Further, the first phase of the pediatric block is expected to be partially functional by November, offering dedicated emergency, ward, and ICU facilities for children. Currently, only one pediatric ward exists, where up to three children often share a single bed. With only two operation theatres available for children, pediatric patients also share cath labs and surgical facilities with adult patients. Despite reduced federal funding, the Sindh government has allocated Rs2.5 billion for the pediatric block, in order to support the completion of two underground levels, and two floors, including all required pediatric facilities.