Karachi in urgent need of one more 500-bed children hospital: President Alvi.

KARACHI -- President Arif Alvi here on Monday acknowledged urgent need for at least one more 500-bed children hospital in the metropolis.

Talking to reporters following his surprise visit to the National Institute of Child Health (NICH), he said this was a critical requirement to meet the growing pressure of patients from the city itself as well as those from other parts of the country in search of specialized medical treatment.

"I could personally witness four to five child patients accommodated on a single bed at NICH and this is definitely a matter of serious concern for me and also must be for the government," commented the President Alvi.

The situation, he said well reflects the intensity in terms of patients' load as well as that of resource constraints.

To a question, he said it was on the advise of Prime Minister Imran Khan that he was visiting the facility.

"I have also sought details of the recent tragic incident at NICH causing loss of a precious life," Alvi said mentioning that NICH Director, Dr Syed Jamal Raza has given him a detailed presentation on the working of the facility. "I was told that there are 70 incubators at NICH," he commented.

About another question with regard to transfer of three major tertiary care hospitals, including Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre (JPMC), NICH and National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), he said this was in compliance with the orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan.

"Equal responsibilities lie upon federal and provincial governments to ensure smooth transfer of administrative...