LAHORE, Feb 13 (APP): Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Friday expressed gratitude over the successful provision of free heart surgeries to more than 10,000 children from across the country under the Chief Minister Children Heart Surgery Program.
She expressed these views during her visit to the Children’s Hospital Lahore, where she inaugurated a newly established intensive care unit (ICU). The chief minister toured the facility, met children undergoing treatment, and conveyed affection and encouragement to young patients and their families.
Maryam Nawaz also attended a special ceremony at the hospital marking the completion of 10,000 surgeries. She sat among the children and interacted warmly with those who had undergone cardiac procedures.
Provincial Health Minister briefed the chief minister that a total of 10,331 surgeries have been completed so far under the initiative.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Masood Sadiq informed participants that approximately 50,000 children are born with congenital heart disease in Pakistan each year, nearly half of whom require immediate surgical intervention.
To further strengthen pediatric cardiac care, the chief minister has increased the number of cardiac surgeons at the hospital to 12 and cardiac physicians to 34. Officials added that under the Chief Minister Transplant Card, 800 cochlear implant procedures and 200 bone marrow transplants for children have also been carried out free of cost.
According to official details, the highest number of free surgeries were performed on children from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (425), followed by Azad Jammu and Kashmir (250), federal areas (107), Gilgit-Baltistan (34), Balochistan (28), and Sindh (27), demonstrating the program’s nationwide outreach.
A special documentary highlighting the achievements and impact of the Chief Minister Children Heart Surgery Program was also screened at the ceremony.