UK surgeons to perform children’s heart surgeries

LAHORE:Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique has said that on February 24 (Monday), a British delegation will visit the University of Child Health Sciences and leave for the Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology.

The British delegation will include Professor Imran Saeed, Dr Umar and Dr Sandeep from the Eden Little Hearts organisation, the minister said at a meeting held in the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department here on Wednesday.

‘Foreign cardiac surgeons will perform heart surgeries on children at the Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz will monitor the heart surgeries performed under the supervision of these cardiac surgeons at the Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology. '

'The cardiac surgeons will visit Pakistan for five days. Full coordination is being done with Dr Razaq and Dr Zaigham at the Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology. The British delegation will be given a complete briefing on cardiac surgery at the University of Child Health Sciences,’ the minister added.

The meeting was attended by Secretary Health Punjab Azmat Mahmood, Chairman Chief Minister's Task Force Dr Farqad Alamgir, Special Secretary Development Zeeshan Shabbir Rana, DG Protocol Inam-ur-Rehman, Additional Secretary Home Department and Additional Secretary Admin Sajjad Khan. Commissioner Faisalabad Division Maryam Khan, Vice Chancellor University of Child Health Sciences Professor Masood Sadiq and officials of Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology participated through video link. Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique reviewed the arrangements for the visit of the British delegation to the Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology during the meeting.

Meanwhile, the provincial health minister visited a dialysis centre and Cardiology Department at Mayo Hospital. Chief Minister Task Force Chairman Dr Farqad Alamgir, King Edward Medical University Vice Chancellor Prof Mahmood Ayaz, Mayo Hospital MS Prof Faisal Masood, Prof M Anees, Brigadier (Retd) Khalid Bashir and other faculty members were present.

Provincial Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique met patients at the dialysis centre, made a detailed review of various departments and other medical facilities at the centre. The officials concerned informed the details of the medical facilities provided to the patients. The minister also visited the patients admitted to the Cardiology Department of Mayo Hospital and discussed the capacity-building measures. Khawaja Salman Rafique said on this occasion that the best medical facilities were being provided to the patients at the dialysis centre.

The HR deficiency at Abdul Rahim Dialysis Centre on priority basis will be fulfilled. Cardiology department of Mayo Hospital is going to be made completely paperless. The capacity of cardiology departments in major government teaching hospitals, including cardiology hospitals of Punjab is being continuously increased. According to the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, efforts are being made to provide the best health facilities to the people, he concluded.