Hyderabad, Thursday, 4 September 2025 : The Aga Khan Maternal and Child Care Centre (AKMCCC), Hyderabad, has inaugurated a
state-of-the-art Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). This facility brings specialised treatment closer to home, ensuring that families in Hyderabad and nearby districts no longer need to travel to Karachi or other cities when their newborns require critical care.
Pakistan faces one of the highest rates of newborn mortality in the world. Each year, more than 246,000 newborns die due to preventable complications — an average of 675 babies every day within their first month of life (WHO, 2025). A major factor behind this crisis is the limited availability of advanced neonatal facilities outside major cities. By establishing this NICU in Hyderabad, AKMCCC is addressing this gap and ensuring that families in the region have timely access to life-saving care without the burden of long and costly travel.
The new NICU is equipped with advanced technology to support newborn babies who need help with breathing, including specialised oxygen therapies. It also provides treatments and procedures vital for newborns in critical condition. By making such care available in Hyderabad, the facility will help reduce delays, ease the burden on families, and give fragile newborns the best possible start in life.
“This new NICU represents hope for countless families,” said Mr. Kashif Ali Shoro, Mayor of Hyderabad and chief guest at the inauguration. “It will save lives and bring life-saving care closer to home for the people of Hyderabad and surrounding areas.”
“Too many newborns in Pakistan lose their lives to preventable complications simply because specialised care is not available close to where they are born,” said Dr. Farhat Abbas, CEO, AKU Health Services, Pakistan. “This NICU will ensure that premature and critically ill babies in Hyderabad and surrounding areas have access to the same high-quality care that saves lives in major cities.” Since joining the Aga Khan University Hospital network in 2010, AKMCCC has earned a reputation as a trusted provider of care for women and children. The Centre holds SafeCare Level 5 certification, the highest international recognition for excellence in patient safety and
About the Aga Khan University Hospital:
Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) is a not-for-profit healthcare institute that offers all medical services to patients under one
roof. AKUH emphasizes access, quality, relevance, and impact as its guiding principles and operates an extensive network of
healthcare facilities across 130 cities in Pakistan. In addition to its flagship quaternary care hospital in Karachi, AKUH has a network
of 4 off-campus hospitals, 50+ pharmacies, 19 medical centres and over 300+ lab collection points. The institution also extends its
services to home healthcare and home delivery of medicines. In recognition of its high quality and patient safety, the AKUH is
accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI) as an Academic Medical Centre and its Clinical Laboratories are accredited
by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) for fast and accurate testing. As a leading healthcare institution committed to
providing exceptional patient care irrespective of the socioeconomic standing of the patient, AKUH offers welfare and zakat support
to deserving patients. In 2024, Rs. 7.2 billion worth of such financial assistance was provided to 1.5 million patients across Pakistan.
