Chancellor Inaugurates New Facilities

Later in the day, the Aga Khan inaugurated new facilities for cardiac care and residences for women, and laid the foundation for a cancer care building.  

His Highness the Aga Khan, accompanied by the Khimji family, inaugurating the Khimji Building for Cardiac Services.

The Aga Khan described the date of the foundation as one "on which this University can say we are a national university in Pakistan because the full spectrum or nearly the full spectrum of this wonderful country have come forward and have said 'we wish to support this institution'". The Chancellor added, "As time will move us forward it will be important that the Trustees and I should look back on this date with gratitude, humility but also pride _ pride in an Institution which has earned itself through the people who have worked with it, the credibility that needed to have become a recognised national institution in Pakistan." The Oncology Services Building, which is scheduled to open in November 2005, will cost US$ 7.6 million. The Building will be a comprehensive cancer centre offering state-of-the-art screening, diagnostic and treatment services. In his address, Dr. Amyn Alidina, Associate Professor and Oncology Consultant, Department of Medicine, described the facility as one that would fill a significant void in cancer care services in Karachi, and will raise the standards of cancer care to new heights.  "We are indebted to the many donors who made this   project possible. Their generosity will save lives, and improve the quality of lives, of patients for many years to come," added Dr. Alidina. A total of 48 units of US$ 83 million were contributed by national and multinational companies and various communities. While most of the donations came from Pakistan, the largest one of US$ 500,000 came from San Francisco-based Dr. Isha Abdullah, a 1992 graduate of AKU Medical College, and her husband Asim. The 29,600 sq. ft. Oncology Services Building will be part of a growing Ambulatory Care Complex at AKUH. Patient care will also focus on prevention, with screening and radiation therapy for common cancers and AKUH sponsored health awareness programmes.

As is the Hospital policy, cancer patients in need will also be provided financial assistance through the Patient Welfare Programme and zakat funds contributed to the Patients' Behbud Society for AKUH. Since the beginning of the Programme, over 190,000 patients have benefited from AKUH's Patient Welfare Programme, and Rs. 960 million (US$ 16.5 million) has been disbursed through this programme.

His Highness the Aga Khan, cutting ribbons at the Karimi, Noor, and Arman Rupani Residences for women, and laying the foundation stone for the Oncology Services Building.

The new facilities, the Khimji Building for Cardiac Services and the Karimi, Noor and Arman Rupani Residences for women, are a testament to the University's mission of setting the highest  standards possible in teaching, research and service, as well as a reflection of the generous support of donors towards the benefit of patients. As Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) continues to  broaden its range of services to meet growing demands for high quality care services in Pakistan, it ensures that patient  convenience is not compromised at any stage. The Khimji Building for Cardiac Services reflects this priority. Speaking on the occasion, His Highness the Aga Khan said, "Cardiology was identified very early on as a key medical need in Pakistan and the question was not whether cardiology was a need, the question was when could this University equip itself in an  appropriate way to offer a quality level of cardiological care where the people of Pakistan would be confident, that the care they were receiving here would be close to or as good as what they would receive in the best  centres anywhere else in the world."

"Cardiac ailments remain an important killer of mankind, and coronary artery disease in particular claims more lives than any other disease. In a developing country like ours, a dramatic increase in the incidence of this disease has been seen," said Dr. Shahid Sami, Chief of Cardiothoracic Section at AKUH, at the inauguration. Costing US$ 6.6 million and spread over 20,000 sq. ft, the Khimji Building has a 16-bed Coronary Care Unit (CCU) and a teaching room on the ground floor, and the first floor houses three operating theatres.  Two are dedicated to cardiac surgery, and a third to general surgery. Recovery facilities are also provided on the first floor. Lounges, lockers and a teaching room are located on the second floor and on-call rooms on the third floor.

AKU places great emphasis on the advancement of women in its programmes and recruitment. It attracts women from all over Pakistan who seek career development in a safe and attractive environment. The quarters for professional women consisting of the Karimi Residences, the Noor Residences and the Arman Rupani Residences will meet the housing needs of professional women, including other professional out-of-station women by offering safe, secure and convenient on-campus facilities. The built-up area of the Residences is 64,500 sq. ft, on 8.6 acres. The design is in harmony with the University's architectural idiom, offering a pleasant environment with good living conditions. The total cost of the project is US$ 6.3 million.

For more information, photos and speeches, please visit: http://www.aku.edu/news/con2003/