Pathology Department of PIMS to have new block

Islamabad
The existing Pathology Department at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) will have a new block as its extension. According to its head of the department, the new block would facilitate 100,000 more patients per year after its completion.
The ground-breaking ceremony of the new block as extension of the existing Pathology Department was performed on Thursday by Ahmad Farooq, secretary to the president of Pakistan.
The new block, having three storeys with approximately 8,000 square feet covered area, would provide advanced diagnostic and research facilities to the after its construction, said Pathology Department Chairman and Basic Medical Sciences Dean at Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU) Professor Ashok Kumar Tanwani while talking to ‘The News’ on Friday.
He said that after completion of the new block, the PIMS Pathology Department would start research laboratory, molecular biology laboratory, stat laboratory and new tests, including Immunofluorescence, tumour markers and PCR. He said that the department would be able to facilitate 100,000 more patients per year.
To a query, he said, the extension of the existing Pathology Department was direly needed. Realising the importance of pathology as backbone of clinical medicine, SZABMU Vice Chancellor Professor Javed Akram made sincere efforts for getting approved funds from the SZABMU chancellor, President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain, for the project.
The PIMS Pathology Department is dealing with clinical laboratory tests, teaching, training and research services to patients, postgraduate, undergraduate residents and paramedics.
He said the catchment area of patients includes Islamabad, Rawalpindi, northern Punjab, Northern Areas and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He said 83 per cent of the patients visiting the laboratory are entitled. Currently, 35 postgraduate residents, 200 undergraduate residents and 12 paramedics are getting training. In addition, more than 25 research projects in the department and in collaboration with other institutions, including Quaid-i-Azam University, Comsats and Institute of Biomedical Genetic Engineering are in progress, he said.
He said that despite heavy workload, limited space, budget and staff, the department is providing specialised tests including Thyroid Profile, Prostate-Specific Antigen Test, HbA1C, Hepatitis B and C by CLIA Technique and Immunohistochemistry in addition to routine tests on latest equipment. He said quality control is a major and essential part of laboratory services and the Chemical Pathology Laboratory of PIMS is the only laboratory in public sector to have its tests verified by the College of American Pathologists as external quality control.
Professor Ashok Kumar Tanwani said that the extension of the existing Pathology Department would further enhance training and research facilities to residents and paramedics apart from facilitating patients.