'NICVD completed over 100 paediatric surgeries in Balochistan'

Sindh CM approves recruitment of full-time COO and CFO for institute

KARACHI:

Over 100 pediatric heart surgeries and more than 300 life-saving interventions were carried out in Balochistan by the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD). The update was shared with Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah during the 84th Governing Body meeting of the NICVD, which he chaired on Wednesday.

The meeting was attended by Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, MPAs Rukhsana Parveen and Sadia Javed, NICVD Executive Director Professor Tahir Saghir, among others.

CM Shah announced a series of important decisions aimed at securing the long-term future of NICVD and expanding its capacity to provide life-saving care. These included addressing legal challenges, increasing the budget allocation, and focusing on infrastructure development.

CM Shah directed that all legal ambiguities surrounding the institution be resolved to ensure that NICVD continues to serve the public efficiently and without interruption. He also approved, in principle, the recruitment of a full-time chief operating officer (COO) and chief financial officer (CFO), which will be carried out through a competitive, open-market process.

He further instructed the Health Department to finalise rules and regulations for the recruitment process before proceeding. "We need to ensure that NICVD operates at global standards, and these measures are essential to streamline its administration," he added.

The governing body was also informed that an additional grant of Rs3.5 billion is required for operational expenses in the fiscal year 2025-26. Despite an already approved grant of Rs10 billion, the institution is facing a financial deficit of nearly Rs4.6 billion due to rising administrative and service costs.

CM Shah formed a committee under Finance Secretary Fayyaz Jatoi to review NICVD's business model and propose reforms. He assured that once the committee submits its recommendations, the required funds will be approved. The NICVD executive director presented a detailed briefing on the institute's achievements over the past year, highlighting that NICVD Karachi had performed a record 9,925 primary angioplasties in 2024, making it the largest centre in the world for this procedure.