PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has planned to establish satellite centres of Peshawar Institute of Cardiology in Mardan and Bannu at a cost of Rs12 billion to provide diagnostic and treatment services to heart patients.

The adviser to chief minister on health, Ihtesham Ali, told Dawn that government proposed in the new budget to set up PIC`s satellite centres in Bannu and Mardan, costing Rs7 billion and Rs5 billion,respectively.

`We will release Rs50 million for eachofthe centrestocarry outfeasibility as the facilities are needed to cover cardiac patients in the respective districts as well as from the adjoining districts and lessen burden of patients on PIC in the provincial capital,` he said. According to him, PIC has been helpful for heart patients but they need more 100-200 bed centres in other districts, too.

The dean of PIC, Prof Shahkar Ahmad Shah, said that long term strategic goals of PIC included setting up centres in major urban districts ideally in Mardan, Bannu, Abbottabad, Swat and possibly in Kabul.

`Everything is right now in the planning stage and will require acquisition of land and proper feasibility studies. Our Board of Governors has agreed to the proposal,` he said.PIC, established more than four years ago, has achieved significant advancements in cardiovascular care in the shape of improved access to specialised cardiac services, previously unavailable to most of residents ofthe province.

Prof Shahkar said that prior to establishment of PIC, patients often faced lengthy and expensive journey to major cities for treatment, leading to significant delay and compromised health outcomes.

`The institute has not only addressed this critical access gap but also enhanced the quality and complexity of cardiac care,` he added.

He said that in 2024, more than 100,000 patients were treated in the institute, 50 per cent up from 2023 which reflected a growing public trust in its capabilities and improved accessibility.

`We have demonstrably shiftedsurgical focus towards more complex procedures, performing more than 1,900 open-heart surgeries in 2024, including over 236 lifesaving paediatric procedures, which mark a significant advancement in our expertise and ability to handle the most challenging cardiac cases, Prof Shahkar explained.

He said that the number of interventional procedures, such as angiographies and angioplasties, also saw a substantial surge and reached 15,143 in 2024. The dedicated paediatric cardiac care unit has also witnessed phenomenal growth, with over 811 procedures performed, more than double the number from 2023. He said that PIC`s commitment to providing accessible healthcare was underscored as 19,701 patients were treated free of cost under Sehat Card Plus last year.

The dean said they had spearheaded adoption of cutting-edgetechnologies in Pakistan, including introduction of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) procedures, MitraClip technology for mitral valve repair and minimally invasive valve replacements.

He said that for the first time in South Asia, they started offering TherOX super-saturation oxygen therapy besides performing minimally invasive surgeries as part of commitment to advanced surgical techniques that minimised patient trauma and improved recovery times.

`This commitment to innovation has resulted in significant national recognition, with PIC becoming the first public-sector ISO certified hospital in Pakistan and first Category-A public hospital recognised by Healthcare Commission.

The institute`s robust research initiatives, evidenced by over 50 published research papers, furthersolidify its position as a leader in cardiac care,` he said.

Prof Shahkar said that government planned to establish a network of satellite centres across the province through extension of quality cardiac care to underserved communities and solidify its position as a regional leader in cardiovascular healthcare.

`This expansion will not only benefit locals but will also ensure that lifesaving cardiac services remain readily available to patients from neighbouring regions,` he added.

He said that satellite centres would be extension of PIC modelled after National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) Karachi with satellite units all over Sindh province. `This year, we are projecting a15-20 per centincrease in patient load and clinical procedures,` he said.