$27 million Uae-sponsored cardiology institute inaugurated in Quetta
The Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Institute of Cardiology has opened in the Pakistani city of Quetta. Pakistan's army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa inaugurated the hospital on Thursday.
Built over 121,406 square metres at a cost of $27.30 million, the hospital was funded by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development.
The move follows the directives of the President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and with the support and follow up of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court.
The project is implemented within the framework of the continuous support of the leadership of the UAE to Pakistan for the implementation of humanitarian and development projects.
The opening ceremony was attended by Balochistan Governor Mir Jan Jamali, UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Al Zaabi and Abdullah Khalifa Al Ghafli, Director of the Uaepakistan Assistance Programme (UAE PAP), besides senior civil and military officials.
A presentation was given on the occasion on the Emirati humanitarian development projects carried out in Balochistan during the past three years under the UAE Pakistan Assistance Programme.
General Qamar Javed Bajwa, accompanied by Ambassador Al Zaabi and Abdullah Al Ghafli, unveiled the commemorative plaque to mark the official opening of the Mohamed bin Zayed Institute of Cardiology.
The guests visited different wards of the institute, which is equipped with the latest machinery and a state-of-the-art cardiology facility.
Speaking on the occasion, the UAE PAP director highlighted the significance of the initiatives of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and said that such initiatives support and strengthen the capabilities of the health sector in Pakistan, and enable it to provide best healthcare services to its citizens.
The institute will serve as a reference centre for hospitals and clinics in the region for the diagnosis and treatment of heart and cancer diseases for all residents of Balochistan and neighbouring provinces.
The institute will benefit about 12 million people in Balochistan. The number of heart patients in the region is about 70,900, of whom more than 1,064 die annually due to lack of treatment.
The institute's absorptive capacity includes providing diagnostic and treatment services to over 500 patients daily and 182,000 patients annually, with a medical staff of 136 doctors and specialists, in addition to 350 nurses and technicians.
The institute consists of 17 buildings. The main building includes outpatient departments, specialised clinics, an emergency department, a dental department, a cardiac catheterization room, intensive care units, and inpatient suites with a capacity of 120 beds.
The building also includes a dialysis department with a capacity of 18 beds, a pharmacy and eight specialised laboratories for medical examinations. The institute also includes a biomedical department to conduct studies on cardiovascular disease using modern technologies.