NICVD head calls for preventive programme to reduce deaths

There is an urgent need to start a countrywide preventive cardiology programme involving all segments of society to reduce deaths due to heart-related ailments in the country.

This was stated by Prof Nadeem Qamar, the executive director of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), as he spoke on Wednesday night at the certification and appreciation ceremony of NICVD postgraduate fellows at a local hotel. “Burden of patients with cardiovascular diseases is steadily on the rise in Pakistan despite spending billions on treatment. The cost of treatment for cardiovascular diseases is becoming unbearable for the government,” he said.

As many as 53 fellows were awarded certificates on the occasion for successfully completing post-fellowship trainings in the sub-specialties of interventional cardiology, clinical cardiac electrophysiology, echocardiography, cardiac surgery and paediatric cardiology. Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister on Law Barrister Murtaza Wahab congratulated the fellows for completion of their training and said the NICVD was now the biggest cardiac-care system in the entire South Asia comprising 10 complete hospitals and 15 Chest Pain Units that were serving the people of entire Pakistan without any discrimination.

“The NICVD is a ray of hope for those people who see no progress in any segment of society in the country. The progress and development of this institute reminds us that Pakistan is progressing and our provincial government is doing something remarkable for the people of the entire Pakistan,” Wahab said and added that now people were not required to go to the United States, Canada or Europe, as modern cardiac treatment was available in Sindh, including cities like Sukkur, Larkana and Tando Muhammad Khan, besides Karachi.

The law adviser said the NICVD was taking important initiatives in order to keep up with global advancements by upgrading curricula, enhancing skills, improving teaching practices, fostering research and setting high standards in line with the international benchmarks. He wished the institute every success in its future endeavours.