Karachi (HRNW)- The 84th Governing Body Meeting of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) was held under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, in which Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, members of the Provincial Assembly, Chief Secretary and concerned secretaries attended.
In the meeting, Executive Director NICVD Professor Tahir Sagheer gave a detailed briefing on the performance, financial situation and future plans of the institution. According to the spokesperson, several important decisions were taken in the meeting to safeguard the future of NICVD and ensure continuity of public services.
The Sindh Chief Minister, while deciding to restore the legal status of NICVD, made it clear that no obstacle will be tolerated in providing free heart treatment. He also approved a grant-in-aid of Rs 15.5 billion for the operational affairs of the institution.
The meeting was briefed that NICVD urgently needs an additional grant of Rs 3.5 billion in the financial year 2025-26, while the Sindh Chief Minister has approved Rs 10 billion so far. According to the briefing, the institution is facing a total deficit of Rs 4.6 billion, which has arisen due to increase in administrative and service expenses.
The Sindh Chief Minister, while approving the immediate appointment of Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in NICVD, directed that these appointments be made under an open market and competitive process. He said that the institution will be enabled to serve the public without hindrance by removing legal ambiguities.
The meeting was informed that NICVD has so far performed more than 200 TAVI procedures free of cost, while the cost of this procedure in private hospitals is about Rs 4 million. The Sindh Chief Minister said that NICVD Karachi performed 9,925 primary angioplasty procedures in 2024 and is the largest primary angioplasty center in the world.
The briefing also revealed that NICVD provided pediatric cardiac care for the first time in Balochistan, where more than 100 pediatric surgeries and more than 300 interventions were completed. In addition, more than 450 procedures were performed under the Stroke Intervention Program, saving hundreds of patients from permanent disability.
The Sindh Chief Minister reviewed the construction work of a new 300-bed pediatric unit and was also briefed on the progress of the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases to be established in Landhi. According to the Chief Minister, the institution to be established in Landhi will have 1,200 beds and will be the largest cardiac hospital in the world.
Furthermore, the Sindh Chief Minister also issued instructions to prepare a comprehensive business plan for the merger and administrative reforms of NICVD and SICVD and to finalize the appointment of KPMG.
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