Improving healthcare: The dawn of a new era in Sindh
February 21, 2017
KARACHI: In collaboration with the Sindh Health Department, the Japan Institute of Cooperation Agency (JICA) has introduced a new quality of healthcare in the province.
The Sindh Government Children Hospital (SGCH) near Nagan Chowrangi in Karachi was established in 1994 with a total of 50 beds for primary care. JICA has helped increase the total beds to 200 in addition to improving healthcare facilities.
The medical superintendent and Project Director of SGCH, Dr Asif Zaman said: “On our request, the groundbreaking and construction work commenced on March 18, 2014. The Japanese contractor completed the construction work on June 21, 2015.”
“The Japanese government installed state of the art equipment and completed the PKR 1.7 billion 150-bed project on March 2016,” he added.
Through a bidding process, the administration and operations of the hospital were handed over to Poverty Eradication Initiative (PEI), a non-governmental organisation.
Sharing the Out-Patient Department data, PEI director Dr Imam Yar Baig said: “In only one month, we catered to approximately 26000 children. Only 53 patients were referred to National Institute of Child Health.”
The hospital was inaugurated in December 2016 by H.E. Ambassador of Japan Mr Takashi Kurai and Health Minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro in.
JICA is a not-for-profit organisation of Government of Japan.
