Karachi: A landmark moment for Karachi’s healthcare landscape is set to unfold on January 4, 2026, when a UN-accredited international medical relief organisation will break ground on its flagship University Medical Complex (UMC)—a large-scale tertiary care hospital expected to treat up to one million patients every year, including 200,000 deserving patients who will receive treatment completely free of charge.
The groundbreaking ceremony will mark the formal launch of the ambitious project by Imamia Medics International (IMI), a global humanitarian organisation led by senior Pakistan-origin doctors, most of whom are based in the United States and actively engaged in medical relief work across more than 30 countries.
To mobilise public support and accelerate construction, IMI will also host a fundraising event later the same day at a leading Karachi hotel. The event will feature a video presentation showcasing the vision, scope and life-saving impact of the UMC. Prominent showbusiness personality Khalid Anum will conduct the fundraising session, where a large gathering of concerned philanthropists, donors and well-wishers is expected to contribute generously to ensure the project’s timely completion.
Speaking ahead of the launch, IMI founder Dr Wajih Rizvi said the UMC was conceived after decades of experience operating 25 charitable clinics across Pakistan, which currently provide medical care to around 150,000 patients annually at no cost. He said the organisation’s UN accreditation, secured 25 years ago and elevated to UN consultative status in 2006, reflected its credibility and sustained humanitarian impact.
Dr Rizvi noted that IMI’s volunteer doctors have consistently responded to major humanitarian crises, including the 2005 earthquake and the recent devastating floods in Pakistan, delivering critical medical assistance to affected communities. He added that IMI was among the few Muslim-origin medical relief organisations to provide emergency medical care in Haiti following its catastrophic earthquake.
Located along University Road in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, adjacent to the University of Karachi, the UMC is designed as a comprehensive, multi-speciality facility offering emergency trauma services, women’s and child health, and advanced treatment for infectious and non-infectious diseases. In the long term, it is also envisioned as a hub for medical education and research.
“With Karachi poised to become one of the world’s most populous cities, demand for quality healthcare far exceeds current capacity,” Dr Rizvi said. “The UMC will help bridge this gap—particularly for low- and middle-income families who are increasingly priced out of private healthcare.”
“This is more than a hospital,” he added. “It is a sustainable healthcare lifeline—and January 4 will mark the beginning of that promise.”
Noted religious scholar Allama Syed Shahenshah Hussain Naqvi has also endorsed the construction of UMC and assured IMI his fullest support for the project.
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