KARACHI, Jun 13 (APP): Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah announced that the Sindh Government, in collaboration with its partners, has transformed three major public healthcare institutions—Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC), the National Institute of Child Health (NICH), and the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD)—into world-class facilities over the past 13 years.
Delivering his budget speech in the Sindh Assembly, Shah highlighted that the combined bed capacity of the institutions has increased from 2,092 to 4,041, reflecting a significant expansion in public healthcare services.
The chief minister further revealed that the construction of a new 12-storey Medical Tower and a seven-storey officers’ ward is nearing completion at JPMC. “This will make JPMC not only the largest healthcare facility in the country but also among the largest in the world,” Shah stated.
According to Shah, patient visits to the three institutions have surged from 1.6 million in 2011 to over 4 million in the current year. The annual budget has also seen a dramatic rise—from Rs. 1.9 billion at the time of devolution to over
Rs. 30 billion today.
“All three institutions are now equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment, including fully operational CT scanners, MRI scanners, and angiography units,” he added.
Highlighting advancements in cancer care, Shah said the provincial government, in partnership with the Patients Aid Foundation (PAF-JPMC), has revolutionized radiation oncology services by introducing CyberKnife, Tomotherapy, and PET-CT facilities.
“This is the only center in the world providing free CyberKnife and Tomotherapy treatment regardless of nationality, religion, or ethnicity. Patients from 168 cities and 16 countries have benefited from these services at JPMC Karachi,” the chief minister noted.
In a further initiative, the Sindh government, in collaboration with PAF-JPMC and the Edhi Foundation, has begun construction of the “Bilquis Abdul Sattar Edhi Breast Radiation Bay” at JPMC. The facility will house two of the world’s most advanced radiotherapy machines—Helix Tomotherapy with Surface Guided Radiotherapy technology—capable of treating at least 160 breast cancer patients daily. The facility will be staffed exclusively by female professionals.
“This initiative underscores our commitment to ensuring high-quality and inclusive healthcare access for all,” Shah concluded.
