Naqvi visits NICVD to evaluate its model to replicate it in Punjab

• During their visit both chief ministers interacted with patients.
• Naqvi expressed his satisfaction in developing chest pain clinics.
• Maqbool Baqar said he has no dispute with his interim health minister.

KARACHI:  Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (Retd ) Maqbool Baqar and Care Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi visited the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) to witness its patient service, structure and performance so that a similar institute could be established in Punjab.

During their visit both the chief ministers interacted with the patients in the Emergency and in the CCU and asked about the services and the care being provided to them. The patients and their attendants expressed their satisfaction and told the chief minister that they were being provided with free-of-cost treatment for the medicines.

The Punjab chief minister was told that the NICVD has 10 Satellite centres in different districts of the province and 17 chest pain clinics established in the containers and have been parked at different areas of the city where the patients could reach easily. The Punjab chief minister expressed his satisfaction in developing chest pain clinics along the main roads.

To a question, the new Executive Director of NICVD Dr Tahir Saghir told the CM that all the treatments from emergency to open heart surgery, angioplasty and angiography were all being carried out free of cost. To a question, he told the Punjab chief minister that the change of a heart valve cost around Rs250,000 but it was carried out at NICVD free of cost.  The NICVD chief told the CM Punjab that people from other provinces and even from neighbouring countries avail of the health facilities at NICVD free of cost. This year the government has allocated Rs15 billion for NICVD/SIVD so that free of cost treatment could be provided to the people without any discrimination.

To a question, the Punjab chief minister was told that 16 open heart surgeries could be carried out in NICVD in a day.

Talking to the media at NICVD the Punjab chief minister said that the purpose of his visit to NICVD was to get first-hand information and witness the quality of treatment and care so that a similar institution could be established in Punjab.

Mohsin Naqvi expressed his satisfaction and appreciated the provincial government for establishing such an institution in the public sector.

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