LAHORE: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif conducted the groundbreaking ceremony for the Pakistan Kidney & Liver Institute (PKLI) University on Sunday. During the event, the prime minister also inaugurated the national Hepatitis C elimination program at the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute.
Addressing the audience, PM Shehbaz emphasized the importance of serving humanity and providing free healthcare and education facilities to the underprivileged segments of society. He stressed that it was their collective responsibility to establish healthcare facilities like PKLI in line with the vision of the nation’s founder, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and the concept of a welfare state.
The prime minister lauded the PKLI’s journey, which began in 2014 when he requested Dr. Saeed Akhtar to establish a state-of-the-art institute for kidney and liver diseases in Punjab province. The institute operates with an autonomous body to avoid bureaucratic obstacles. The project commenced in 2015 and was completed in 2018, marking the first kidney transplant. To date, PKLI has successfully performed 1000 transplants, a significant milestone.
PM Shehbaz Says PKLI to Offer Free Treatment to Poor
PM Shehbaz revealed that the PKLI has amassed Rs. 15 billion in the trust fund, which will enable the provision of free treatment to the impoverished. He also highlighted the efforts to treat liver disease patients within the country, regardless of their socioeconomic status, ensuring equal access to quality healthcare.
The prime minister expressed regret over the disparity in healthcare access for the rich and poor in the country. He emphasized the importance of the Hepatitis C program and revealed that Rs. 35 billion in funding had been provided by the federal government, with contributions from provincial governments.
Since its inception in December 2017, the Pakistan Kidney & Liver Institute has served over 3.5 million patient interactions, with more than 2 million patient visits to the hospital alone. Additionally, the Hepatitis Prevention and Treatment Programme has facilitated over 1.5 million patient visits for Hepatitis relief until June 2019.
The establishment of the PKLI University and the initiation of the Hepatitis C elimination program mark significant strides towards improving healthcare accessibility and addressing critical health issues in Pakistan.
