KARACHI: The Sindh Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (SICVD) has inaugurated its Stroke Intervention Program at the SICVD facility in Tando Muhammad Khan, marking an important development in delivering essential healthcare services to underserved regions, with a special emphasis on stroke care.
Being already run successfully at NICVD Karachi, this initiative aims to transform stroke care in the region, providing timely and advanced interventions for stroke patients.
The ceremonial ribbon-cutting for the Stroke Intervention Program was done by Prof Jawaid Akbar Sial, Executive Director of SICVD, and Prof Irfan Amjad Lufti, Director of Stroke Intervention Program, NICVD.
Subsequently, Prof Sial and Prof Lufti delivered a comprehensive briefing to the media, outlining the key aspects and objectives of the program.
Due to prior commitments, Sindh interim Chief Minister retired Justice Maqbool Baqar participated virtually in the inaugural ceremony.
"The treatment involves inserting a stent - a small tube - into a blocked nerve in the patient's brain," explained Prof Lutfi. He said that while inserting a stent is a complex hour-long procedure, it proves instrumental in preventing paralysis after stroke, a condition that can lead to paralysis if not treated promptly.
He stressed the critical importance of stroke patients seeking medical attention within 4 to 6 hours from the onset of symptoms for optimal effectiveness of the stroke intervention procedure. Beyond this window, the patient may not be eligible for the intervention, he warned.
Presenting the alarming statistics of stroke being the second major cause of death in Pakistan due to a lack of proper awareness, Prof Lutfi said that hundreds of patients have benefited from the free-of-cost "Interventional Stroke Treatment" at NICVD Karachi.
Congratulating the stroke team, Prof Sial stated that a major breakthrough has been achieved in medical history with the introduction of catheter-based stroke treatment at SICVD Tando Muhammad Khan.
He said the SICVD Tando Muhammad Khan will offer the procedure completely free of charge, which shows the government’s commitment to making high-quality healthcare accessible to all, particularly those facing the challenges of stroke and cardiac disease.