NICVD takes home Service Innovation of the Year - Pakistan Award

More than 480,000 benefit from novel, accessible Chest Pain Units (CPUs) in Pakistan.

Heart attacks can occur just about anywhere without fair warning. In Pakistan, around 46 individuals die every hour due to heart diseases--the leading cause of deaths in the country. Majority of patient with chest pain normally travels for hours to reach the nearest cardiac center for emergency and urgent care. With Pakistan’s worsening traffic jams especially during rush hours, patient loses precious and critical time in getting the right emergency cardiac treatment.

In 2016-2017, the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, under leadership of newly engaged strategists including renowned professor of cardiology and Executive Director (Dr. Nadeem Qamar), seasoned Healthcare Management Expert (Mr. Hyder Awan), Chief Operating Officer (Ms. Azra Maqsood), and healthcare-trained management team, came up with a novel idea to establish chest pain units in various locations for prompt and early access to emergency cardiac care. 

Here, NICVD transformed containers, and some other abandoned premises into state-of-the-art Chest Pain Units. NICVD brought “innovation in service” through Chest Pain Units whether these are established under flyovers, at roadsides, or in clinics, health centres, hospitals, or at any densely populated area. Each unit is well-equipped to provide first-line treatment to patients with chest pain and heart attack.

Since the launch of the first unit in May 2017, more than 483,089 patients have accessed NICVD’s Chest Pain Units. According to statistics, almost 174,920 were identified to have cardiac issues and 10,723 patients diagnosed to be already suffering with an active heart attack. All of these patients were given immediate medical attention.

“We are happy to receive the award for “Service Innovation of the Year”. Definitely, this idea is very new and something that we would have never thought of before. As many know, the number of people with heart diseases in Pakistan is growing every year. While doctors and healthcare officials have the responsibility to remind people of their diet and lifestyle, we have our own task to ensure that those who are already suffering get the care they need at the right time,” said the Executive Director of NICVD. The project, done in collaboration with the Government of Sindh and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, now has in total sixteen (16) functional Chest Pain Units in Karachi: under Gulshan Chowrangi Flyover, under Malir Halt Flyover, under Qayyumabad Chowrangi Flyover, Nagan Chowrangi Flyover, under Karimabad Flyover, under Gizri Flyover, under Manzil Pump Flyover, at a clinic near I.I. Chundrigar Road, Landhi No. 3 ½, Orangi No.5, New Karachi, Moosa Lane Lyari, at Cantonment General Hospital Saddar, Kemari, ASF Medical Centre, and Malir Cantt. This unique facility for heart patients has also been established five (05) other remote cities / districts in Ghokti, Tando Bago (Badin), Jacobabad (JIMS), Umerkot and Tando Allah Yar.

NICVD expects to install more CPUs in different cities across Southern Pakistan (Sindh province).