KARACHI – Qamar Sunday vowed to provide “15 to 20 million rupees within a couple of weeks” for the establishment of a pediatric surgery theater and a Central Sterilization Department (CSD) at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) Satellite Center at Tando Muhammad Khan, saying within a few weeks, children with congenital heart from entire lower Sindh area would be operated upon at NICVD Tando Muhammad Khan.
“We don’t want to put any more financial burden on the Sindh government so we have arranged the funds from the production bonus of petroleum companies operating in the Tando Muhammad Khan. Within a couple of weeks, a cheque amounting to Rs. 15 to 20 million would be handed over to the NICVD Tando Muhammad Khan administration for the establishment of a pediatric cardiac theater and CSD at this Satellite center of the NICVD”, PPP leader and MNA Naveed Qamar said while speaking at the second anniversary of the NICVD Tando Muhammmad Khan.
President of the Pakistan Cardiac Society (PCS) Prof. Feroz Memon, Executive Director NICVD Prof. Nadeem Qamar, Head of Preventive Cardiology NICVD Prof. Khawar Kazmi, Incharge NICVD Tando Muhammad Khan Dr. Ghazanfar Shah and notables of the area were also present on the occasion.
Syed Naveed Qamar deplored that there were thousands of children in the entire lower Sindh who had been borne with congenital heart disease and heart defects who had never seen a pediatric cardiologist but added that after establishment of NCIVD’s Satellite Center at Tando Muhammad Khan, hundreds of children had been examined at the pediatric OPD and they were advised to undergo surgeries to live normal lives.
“With the establishment of another cardiac surgery theater at the NICVD Tando Muhammad Khan, children from entire lower Sindh including Tharparkar, Badin, Thatta, Matli and Tando Bago would be benefitted. We are striving to make this facility as one of the best cardiac facility in Pakistan”, Syed Naveed Qamar said.
On the occasion, he urged the local philanthropists and well to do people of the Tando Muhammad Khan and adjoining areas to come forward and support the NICVD Tando Muhammad Khan, saying there was an urgent need for the establishment of a shelter for the attendants of patients while doctors and paramedics serving at the cardiac facility, who come from Karachi and other cities, also required residential facilities so that they could work in Tando Muhammad Khan with more dedication and peace of mind.
“NICVD Tando Muhammad Khan is a very big health facility in a small town and we hope that due to this facility, our town will also grow and become a major city of Pakistan in coming years”, he said and added that people of Tando Muhammad Khan feel proud to have a world class cardiac-care facility where all types of cardiac procedures, interventions and surgeries of international standard were being performed.
The Executive Director NICVD Prof. Nadeem Qamar said after establishing 10 Satellite Centers of NICVD in different cities of Sindh, it was now his dream to start pediatric cardiology services and surgeries at these centers and announced that with the support of people and their representatives, pediatric cardiac surgery facility would be started at Tando Muhammad Khan very soon.
“We had requested the district administration for the CSR funds to establish second operation theater at NICVD Tando Muhammad Khan and with the support from Naveed Qamar and other notables of the area, we are going to acquire funds very soon. We are hopeful of starting pediatric cardiac surgeries at this center within a few weeks”, Prof. Nadeem Qamar said and added that this facility would save lives of hundreds of children with birth heart defects in the coming years.
In addition to that, he maintained, they have launched a country-wide preventive cardiology program with the help of provincial government, media and the pharmaceutical sector to prevent cardiac diseases in the country, saying this program would help in saving thousands of lives annually in Pakistan.
Eminent cardiologist and the head of preventive cardiology department of NICVD Prof. Khawar Kazmi said cardiologists should advise their patients to quit smoking, eat healthy diet, exercise regularly and take their medicine regularly to prevent themselves from cardiac ailments.
“Unfortunately, we are in the habit of eating too much but are not very fond of physical activities and exercise. We would have to change our lifestyles to remain healthy”, he advised.
Incharge of the NICVD Tando Muhammad Khan Dr. Ghazanfar Shah presenting the detailed performance report of the NICVD Tando Muhammad Khan told that during last two years, they had provided cardiac treatment to over three hundred and fifty thousand patients and added that so they had performed over 70 bypass surgeries, which was a big milestone for such a young cardiac facility anywhere in the world
