100-bed transplant centre inaugurated at SIUT

KARACHI: Wednesday marked yet another milestone in the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation's (SIUT) illustrious journey, as the hospital's first dedicated transplant centre was officially inaugurated at a simple yet impressive ceremony.  

The inauguration was conducted by Saudi Centre for Organ Transplantation director general Professor Faisal Shaheen, who was all praise for SIUT Director Dr. Adib Rizvi's impeccable management of an institution as respected as the SIUT, and for his efforts for establishing the transplant centre.

Prof. Shaheen said his country would extend all and any assistance to the SIUT, even in the much-contended realm of cadaver organ donation. The senior surgeon termed cadaver organ donation an immense service to mankind, stating that it was the best gift a person could give to another. 

Prominent journalist and SIUT Board member Zubeda Mustafa said that the example set up by the Suleman Dawood family must be emulated for the well-being and betterment of people.

Expressing thanks on behalf of SIUT's faculty, staff, and trustees, she said the generous donation of the family was in fact a sign of confidence in the SIUT team.

She also lauded the missionary zeal of Dr Adib Rizvi, who, by establishing an institution like SIUT and now a transplant tower of delicate organs, has kept achieving milestones in Pakistan's medical and health care space. 

Professor Adib Rizvi thanked the Suleman Dawood family for generously helping and assisting SIUT in setting up a transplant centre, and assisting a 100-station dialysis unit and a full-fledged oncology ward. He said the newly-constructed centre would enhance the transplant activities in the country and the role of SIUT.

Members of the SIUT Board of Governors and Trust, including Laila Sarfraz, Zubeida Mustafa and Dr. Haroon Ahmed, were also present on the occasion. 

Built in a period of four years, the 14-story transplant centre has been constructed over an area of 250,000 sq. ft. at an estimated cost of Rs 1.5 billion to meet the futuristic challenges of the transplant sciences, a SIUT spokesperson said.

The centre is a 100-bed facility, with integrated facilities, such as transplant wards, ICUs, pre-transplant unit, donor ward, out-patients clinic, radiology, state-of-the-art modern operation theatre, laboratory, and rehabilitation centre, where SIUT can manage all transplants under one roof.

“The ultimate goal of the newly-constructed Transplant Centre is to enhance the transplant activities in the country, and give a new dimension to the overall activities of the SIUT where all treatment is free of charge.”

—originally published in The News