Leading healthcare facilities in Pakistan.

Byline: SHABBIR KAZMI

The residents of the areas which now comprises of Pakistan have been playing an extra ordinary role when it comes to philanthropy. They have created educational as well as healthcare units. One of the outstanding example of private-public partnership is Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT). At almost all the government hospitals Patients' Welfare Associations are performing the leading role. Following are some of the examples, which are not exhaustive.

Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation

Four decades ago SIUT started its journey as an eight bed ward in Burns Unit of Civil Hospital Karachi. Gradually this small ward expanded its activities clinically and physically. In 1991 it was granted the status of an Institute by an Act of the Sindh Assembly.

In 2005 SIUT Trust was created as a charitable trust for the benefit of the public aiming to provide medical facilities and financial assistance to those who are at the end stage of renal ailments.

SIUT is located in the vicinity of Civil Hospital of Karachi with its hub of activities taking place at Dewan Farooq Medical Complex, named after a generous philanthropist whose donation helped built the complex.

In recent years, SIUT has further expanded its facilities after receiving another generous donation from a philanthropist enabling the establishment of the Hanifa Sulaiman Dawood Oncology Centre. The building of the Oncology Centre is another milestone for SIUT, facilitating the treatment of various cancers including bladder cancer, kidney cancer, prostate cancer, adrenal cancer, testicular cancer and post-transplant malignancies.

SIUT started as 8-bedded ward in the Burns Ward of Civil Hospital. Later it was shifted to the third floor of Emergency Building of Civil Hospital. With the passage of time it was expanded and included urology and nephrology ward, operation theatre, lab, radiology, offices, stores, and transplant ward.

The old building of SIUT is now consists of 270 beds. It houses the main Emergency of SIUT comprising of 150 beds with dialysis and medical and critical care unit facility. The Adult Urology Department and main operation theatre are also included.

The Government of Sindh gave land for the new premises in 1993 and Dewan Family donated the fund for the construction of the 6-storey building which was named as Dewan Farooq Medical Centre. This is a 425-bedded facility providing state-of the-art facilities including...