National Institute of Child Health, attending no less than 5,000 patients each month, has embarked upon a major expansion plan under which besides provision of MRI facilities, kidney transplantation for kids reporting with renal failure is also envisaged.
NICH Director, Dr Afroze Ramzan talking to APP said that a full-fledged Kidney Ward for Children with all relevant facilities is expected to be fully operational by next year.
Mentioning the Rs 90 million budgetary allocation for NICH made by the federal government, under current fiscal year (2004-2005), she said a Lithotripsy (stone breaking) machine specially meant for children has already been procured.
To a query she said there happen to be some 1,500 children suffering from renal diseases and registered with NICH adding that these are besides 400 other inflicted with renal failure.
"NICH is already offering free of charge dialysis facilities to all kids in need," Dr Afroze Ramzan said reminding that facility for kidney transplantation would further be of great support to the latter.
In this context she also referred to a project meant to develop state of art operation theater at NICH adding that there are already four OTs operating at NICH, and two more are planned in next few months.
Around 10,000 cases of surgery are annually undertaken at the city's largest hospital for children and to ease and further improve the process of adequate diagnosis, NICH only has been recently got installed an MRI machine, the NICH director said.
Meanwhile, Nadeen Sheikh, the wife of Federal Minister for Privatisation and Investment, Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh and Patron, Sada Foundation, a major donor organisation to the institute, also visited the children's hospital.
The patron talking to APP referred to support extended by the foundation to NICH's TB ward, blood bank and other facilities. She underscored the need for public awareness regarding the plight of ailing children to help raise maximum funds for them.
Former federal law minister, Barrister Shahida Jamil another patron of the Sada Foundation mentioned that Pakistan is among the highest donation recipient countries, where people consider it their moral and religious obligation to donate needs to evolve a system to streamline the trend.
Acknowledging that people need certain trust and confidence prior to fund different welfare schemes, she urged that good work should be highlighted and duly patronised.
On the occasion, she also recommended need to promote a culture of "Patient Child Adoption" adding that since treatment and medication are expensive, people willing to support the cause can undertake, in their individual capacities, the responsibility for treatment of one single child patient.
Ms Fouzia of the foundation referred to different projects undertaken by the organisation including TB Ward, Blood Bank, Drug Bank, Neonatal Ward and so forth.
The NICH director expressed her deep gratitude to different NGOs and committed individuals for their support to NICH.