Murad okays merger of NICVD, SICVD to address financial challenges

islamabad: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah Friday issued directives for the merger of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) and the Sindh Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (SICVD) to streamline operations, address financial challenges, and ensure more efficient use of resources.

The merger, aimed at bridging a Rs2 billion funding shortfall and improving cost-effectiveness, is expected to enhance cardiac care services across the province.

Presiding over a meeting of the NICVD Board at the CM House, Shah emphasized that the consolidation of NICVD and SICVD would not only resolve financial constraints but also lead to better management of resources.

The chief minister stated that the combined budget of the NICVD and SICVD for the current financial year stands at Rs20 billion, and the merger would allow the institute to operate within its financial limits while ensuring uninterrupted services.

He directed the health department to devise a comprehensive business plan for the integration within three months, engaging a professional consultant for the task.

During the meeting, the chief minister reviewed the performance of the NICVD in 2024, where a record 1,387,584 patients were treated across its network.

NICVD Executive Director Professor Tahir Saghir briefed the CM on major cardiac procedures performed, including 9,925 Primary Percutaneous Coronary Interventions (PCI), 3,859 Early Invasive procedures, 760 Elective Angiographies, 18,017 Coronary Angiographies, 2,061 Open Heart Surgeries, 75 Stroke Interventions, 1,691 Paediatric Interventions, 1,424 Paediatric Cardiac Surgeries, 291 PTMC procedures, and 29 TAVI procedures.

In an effort to expand services, the chief minister directed that the new Outpatient Department (OPD) Block at the NICVD be completed by July or August 2025. The block, being constructed at a cost of Rs1 billion, will help accommodate the increasing number of patients.

Furthermore, a private ward and a new Coronary Care Unit (CCU) are being developed with donor support. Seating arrangements for patient attendants are also being set up through philanthropic contributions.

A significant development discussed at the meeting was the construction of a new 300-bed paediatric unit. This facility, comprising a ground floor plus seven additional floors will feature five operating theatres, four catheterization labs, a hybrid lab, CT and MRI facilities, and a full range of paediatric cardiac services.

The CM instructed the health department to ensure the ground floor becomes operational by the end of the current financial year.