CM praises expats in US for helping build hospital in Ibrahim Hyderi

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah along with American doctors of Pakistani origin performed on Wednesday the groundbreaking for the Hassan Suleman Memorial Hospital (HSMH) in Malir and said that the initiative marked a significant step towards providing much-needed health care to underserved communities.

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by provincial ministers Sharjeel Memon, Sardar Shah, Jam Khan Shoro, Shahid Thahim and Riaz Shah Shirazi, Adviser Najmi Alam and others. Leading doctors and philanthropist, including Amjad Siraj Memon, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Executive Director Prof Shahid Rasool, Prof Tariq Mahmood, Mushtaq Chapra of the Patient Aid Foundation, and others also attended the event.

The CM highlighted that the HSMH project was a collaborative effort between Pakistani American doctors and the Sindh government and served as a powerful testament to philanthropy and international cooperation.

The foundation stone for the Hassan Suleman Memorial Hospital was laid in the Ibrahim Hyderi area, with the CM announcing that the new hospital aimed at significantly improving access to health care access in one of the city’s most underserved areas.

Murad referred to the HSMH as a beacon of hope and pledged a one-to-one matching grant for the hospital for all donations received. He emphasised his government’s commitment to supporting the hospital’s development and ensuring its operational success through infrastructure, policy and operational assistance.

The CM praised the tireless efforts and generous contributions of the Pakistani diaspora in the United States, calling their dedication ‘truly inspiring’. Dr Javed Suleman, chairman of the Hassan Suleman Foundation, expressed deep gratitude to the Pakistani government and the Sindh government's land allocation and financial commitment.

He emphasised that the hospital's mission was to provide free and high-quality medical services to those in need. Dr Iqbal Zafar, president of the HSMH, spoke about strong international collaboration that had made the hospital possible.

He described the hospital as a lifeline for the Malir community. Professor Dr SM Tariq Rafi, the project’s chairperson, echoed sentiments of hope and gratitude thanking both President Asif Ali Zardari and Sindh CM for their unwavering support for the project. He stressed that the hospital would be a sanctuary for the underserved.

The 312-bed HSMH is expected to be completed within two years, with patient care set to commence in 2026. The hospital will offer a wide range of services, including emergency care, cardiac surgeries and specialised treatments in cardiology, paediatrics, women's health and trauma care, all free of charge. Dr Suleman has personally committed to performing the first coronary angioplasty at the hospital upon its opening.