By Dr.Abdul Razak Shaikh,
The Gambat Hospital is the country’s first public health facility that does free liver transplants. It started work in 2016 with a grant of one billion rupees from the Sindh government.
The 50 cases have been done in three years with 28 operations taking place in the last three months. Initially, a six-member team of German health professionals was invited to assist the hospital staff for two years. But now the doctors of Sindh are well trained to perform operations without any assistance.
It is a tremendous achievement of this institute where 1st-time open heart surgery in a rural setting was started. Well, known cardiac surgeons now routinely performing cardiac surgeries, angiography, and angioplasty from last many years.
Looking forward institute stands the facility in Sindh rural hospital carrying out renal transplant-free of cost for the needy people of Sindh. Credit goes to PPP Sindh government for releasing a huge budget.
During 1934-1980, the building of Gambat institute was merely a desolate Dispensary rendering only out-patient services. In 1981, The dispensary has given the rank of Taluka Hospital with 28-bed strength. Later, in 1997, the medical superintendent, Dr. Rahim Bux Bhatti put great efforts to upgrade the hospital as MODEL TALUKA HOSPITAL under the declaration of Medical Service Unit (MSU) World Bank. In 2003, Taluka Hospital introduced with the renamed as Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS).
GIMS is a teaching hospital, providing medical services, and training, and engaging in research development.
The objective of providing international standards of medical and dental education to the underprivileged community of Gambat, District Khairpur and surrounding vicinities in Sindh. In 2003, Sindh Government announced to upgrade Taluka Hospital as a Gambat Institute of health sciences which is now known as the PIR SYED ABDUL QADIR SHAH JILANI INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES in respect of the famous Saint Syed Abdul Qadir Shah Jilani belonging to Gambat.
The Institute works under the administrative control of Sindh Province. Most competent faculty, as well as high-class infrastructure, is provided to deliver the current facilities and quality academics for medical and dental students.
Furthermore, this institute aims to make a contribution to promoting healthcare knowledge as well as services throughout the country for the needy public.
The institute contains several libraries including a digital one museum, dissection rooms, labs and lecture halls, all are designed to provide a facilitated environment for medical students. Moreover, a full-fleshed IT Department and up to date Research options are available within the institute’s premises. Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences is progressing with a perfect vision. Their vision is to deliver comprehensive health care facilities and education in Sindh and adjoining provinces and to make this institute a leading center of excellence which should provide exceptional as well as an all-inclusive medical teaching and patient care.
This Institute is the country’s first public health facility where the free liver transplants were started in 2016 with a grant of one billion rupees from the Sindh government.
The 50 cases have been done in three years with 28 operations taking place in the last three months. Initially, a six-member team of German health professionals was invited to assist the hospital staff for two years. But now the doctors of the province are trained to perform operations without any assistance.
A liver transplant costs approximately five million rupees and this is being funded by the Sindh government.
Contact details for appointments are available on the hospital’s website and there is an open OPD twice a week on Tuesday and Friday.
The surgeries in GIMS are not restricted to only Liver transplant but renal transplant, general medicine, kidney dialysis, angiography, angioplasty, Heart bypass, bone marrow transplant and other surgeries of children and women are free of cost.
GIMS uses the latest and modern machinery for the diagnosis and assessment of the diseases. Other than this, GIMS also facilitate patients with free tests. The facilities of ventilators, incubators, and advanced ICUs are available for the newborn babies, whereas, CT angiogram, CT scan, MRI and PCR LAB is also available in the hospital.
The world’s latest machinery has been brought to GIMS. These include automation hematology laboratory, which is the first of its kind, not just in Pakistan, but also in any other South Asian or Gulf state.
An estimated 11 million Pakistanis suffer from liver diseases and the country is referred to as a cirrhotic state in international health circles and an estimated 2.5 million patients need urgent liver transplant surgeries, but many of them cannot afford it.
Previously, private hospitals introduced living donor liver transplant, but due to a shortage of surgeons and equipment, the transplant center could not be made operational.
The project costs Rs900 million which the Sindh government will provide in three phases.
The View of Director GIMS that It was my dream to see kidney and liver transplants here in the remote areas of Sindh for the poor population, as well as training and capacity building being offered to medical personnel.
This type of achievement is a real broad vision of PPP Sindh Government. Same way set up also made for National Institute of Cardio Vascular Disease (NICVD) having satellite the system in the eight areas of Province but their fate is hanging in the air due to a decision of Honourable Supreme court to control NICVD under Federal Government. Sindh Government has requested to review the decision.
