5000 lives saved at chest pain units of NICVD in a year

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5000 lives saved at chest pain units of NICVD in a year

Prof. Nadeem Qamar, NICVD Executive Director while speaking at the first anniversary of Nagan Chowrangi Chest Pain Unit said that lives of more than five thousand people who were having heart attacks were saved at the seven Chest Pain Units (CPUs) of National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) at Karachi’s various intersections and busy spots during last one year where patients were provided timely first aid before dispatching them to main NICVD for further treatment.

He further informed that these seven Chest Pain Units of NICVD in Karachi have emerged as world’s most successful and unique cardiac-emergency programme where lives of over five thousand people were saved in a year who could not reach at any public or private hospital on time.

He maintained that the NICVD’s chest pain units were among the most popular health facilities in Karachi where hundreds of people were visiting on monthly basis and they are provided quality cardiac-care services, consultation and advice free of charge. During last one year, more than 116,000 people visited these seven chest pain units installed at different places in Karachi and get themselves examined by the cardiologists and hart technicians. Around five thousand of them were having heart attacks who were given timely first aid by the doctors and sent them to main NICVD where primary PCI or angioplasty was performed on them to save their lives,” he informed.

Since November 22, 2017, as many as 17,042 people who were having chest pain visited the Nagan Chowrangi CPU of which 969 people were actually having heart attacks and they were not only provided first aid but were referred to the main NICVD for angioplasty and other appropriate treatment. As soon as a person with heart attack reaches at our chest pain unit, he is given immediate first aid and dispatched to the main NICVD for the further treatment,” he informed and urged people to visit CPUs near to their homes and workplaces in case of any heart related emergency or pain in chest. Keeping in view that success of the Chest Pain Unit Programme and its popularity among masses, NICVD management has decided to install 10 more such units in the city, adding that by the end of next year number of CPUs in Karachi would become 16 while one Satellite Center of NICVD would also be functioning in the city to provide top-quality cardiac health facilities to masses.

“On this occasion, I would urge people of Karachi and media to guide us the spots where these CPUs should be installed so that maximum number of people, who could not reach NICVD on time due to long distance and traffic congestion, could be provided timely treatment and first aid,” he added.

Eminent Cardiac Surgeon, Dr. Pervez Chaudhry said in case of a heart attack, a person has 90 minutes to reach at a specialized hospital where he or she could be provided treatment but in Karachi, where it takes two to three hours in reaching from one place to another, establishment of these chest pain units was a big omen for the people of Karachi.

Dr. Zaer Hussain, In-charge NICVD Emergency Department said besides providing first aid to people having heart attacks, Chest Pain Units were also helping hypertensive patients in controlling their blood pressure as specialised doctors provide appropriate treatment to people with hypertension to prevent chances of stroke and other illnesses.

Later on, Prof. Nadeem Qamar along with Dr. Pervez Chaudhry and other NICVD staff also cut cakes on completion of the one year of Nagan Chowrangi CPU and felicitated its staff for saving hundreds of lives by working day and night at Karachi’s busiest intersection.

2018-12-09T20:18:12+00:00