KARACHI: The National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) is setting up a modern clinical trials unit aimed at promoting advanced medical research and attracting international funding.
The new unit, which will meet Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) standards, is being developed on the upper floor of the old Outpatient Department (OPD) building. The project is being carried out under a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) model, where a private company will build the facility and hand it over to NICVD, while the institute will oversee its operations. The unit will also feature a conference hall and a medical library.
NICVD Executive Director Dr Tahir Saghir said the facility would help improve research and the quality of cardiac treatment, especially for children who previously had to travel abroad due to lack of specialised care.
The lower floor of the same old OPD building is being converted into an expanded emergency ward. The emergency department’s bed capacity will be increased from 80 to between 160 and 180 beds. A centralised medical hall will be added to house multiple emergency services under one roof.
Meanwhile, a new OPD building is under construction and is expected to be operational by October or November. This Rs1.25 billion project is also being developed under the BOT model and will have a separate entrance to ease congestion in the main hospital premises.
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In addition, the first phase of a dedicated pediatric block is expected to be partially functional by November. It will provide children with separate emergency, ward, and ICU facilities. Currently, only one pediatric ward exists, often overcrowded, with up to three children sharing a single bed. With limited operation theatres, children are forced to share facilities with adult patients.
Despite cuts in federal funding, the Sindh government has allocated Rs2.5 billion for the pediatric block, which will include two underground levels and two additional floors fully equipped for children’s treatment.
