Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday inaugurated a modern cardiac hospital in Baldia Town — the 10th unit under the Sindh Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (SICVD) network.
The newly launched 100-bed facility will provide all its services free of charge.
Originally initiated by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) several years ago, the hospital remained incomplete for an extended period. The Sindh government later partnered with SICVD and completed the construction in under a year, according to officials.
During the inauguration ceremony, the chief minister praised SICVD’s achievements, noting that it had grown into the world’s largest public cardiac care network. The institute now operates 10 fully equipped cardiac hospitals and 29 chest pain units throughout Sindh.
“This expansive system caters to over two million patients annually, all at no cost,” he said. “It offers a full range of cardiac treatments, including open-heart surgeries, stroke interventions, emergency angioplasties, and paediatric cardiology — ensuring access to advanced care even in remote areas.”
Within Karachi, he noted, 19 chest pain units have been established in busy areas such as Nagan Chowrangi, Landhi, Gizri, and at key institutions like the Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre.
Outside the city, these emergency cardiac units are functional in districts including Thatta, Umerkot, Jacobabad, and Kashmore, delivering lifesaving services closer to home for many communities.
He further revealed that work is ongoing on the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in Karachi. Additional facilities are being planned in Dadu, Sanghar, Matiari, and Qambar Shahdadkot.
Discussing broader government efforts, the chief minister shared that 579 development projects have been initiated across various sectors, with over 22,000 personnel deployed to ensure their timely completion and efficient functioning.
He also acknowledged the legal and administrative difficulties the provincial government has faced in managing major healthcare institutions — including the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, and National Institute of Child Health — following their devolution from the federal to provincial level under the 18th Amendment in 2011.
