Nine-year delay: PIMS cardiac surgery centre finally becomes fully functional

Unit has been equipped with upgraded machines, new operation theatres, CCU

ISLAMABAD: After a delay of nine years, the cardiac surgery centre in the capital’s largest public hospital finally become fully functional on Thursday — it has been confirmed.

The 128-bed Cardiac Surgery Centre now has upgraded medical machines new operation theatres, coronary care units (CCU), a library, an auditorium and a 10-bed emergency unit.

The idea to establish a state-of-the-art cardiac centre at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) came in 2006, but it took the government almost a decade to bring it to online.

The new Rs1.2 billion building for the centre was inaugurated and inaugurated on December 21, 2012 by former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. Soon after, however, some faults surfaced in the building, following which it was handed over to the Public Works Department for repair.

During these nine years the centre faced shortages of staff and medical equipment. The staff was hired on contractual basis, and kept protesting for regularisation and over the delays in the release of their salaries.

“Its completion is indeed a result of our struggle, patience and efforts, and a big achievement for the entire staff,” said Dr Akhtar Ali Bandesha, academics chairman of Cardiology and director of the angiography department.

While talking to The Express Tribune, he said that after being made fully functional, the cardiac surgery centre would help to treat as many patients as possible with new medical equipment and diagnostic facilities.

The PC-1 of the project had been submitted to the federal government and after its approval 380 staffers would be hired to overcome the shortage. At present, the facility is being run by 37 staffers, mostly deputed from other departments in the hospital, he said.

While speaking at the inauguration ceremony Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division Barrister Usman Ibrahim said cardiac care is an area which needs special attention because cardiovascular diseases cause the most number of deaths in the world and Pakistan is no exception.

“We have witnessed an alarming surge in the incidence of cardiovascular diseases over the past few decades. We are probably genetically predisposed to this menace and our environmental factors, lifestyles and dietary habits are contributing to the increase in cardiac problems,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 10^th, 2015.