LAHORE: The Punjab government’s only ‘stroke intervention programme’ in Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC) has been shut down due to an internal rift in the provincial health department, denying treatment to critical patients.

The facility was established with a view to handling the growing stroke burden, with one person suffering from a stroke every minute and one dying every two-three minutes in Pakistan.

The RIC is the only public sector cardiac institute with this facility. A struggle is ongoing between cardiologists and neurologists in the employment of the Punjab health department for control over the facility since it’s establishment. Both the contending sides have their own arguments to support their claims for management control of the stroke intervention unit at the RIC.

The dispute has now landed on the table of the provincial health secretary Azmat Mahmood for resolution.

According to them, stroke has been the second leading cause of mortality and the major cause of disability in adult life, often impacting the patient’s daily life adversely.

As per official sources, the RIC’s programme suddenly faced suspension of funds two months back, prompting its head Dr Asim Javed to take up the matter in writing with the Chief Minister’s Task Force on Cardiovascular Disease Chairman Dr Farqad Alamgir.

In the letter, Dr Asim has raised the issue of stoppage of funding for this facility for the critical patients coming with a stroke in life-threatening condition. A copy of the letter is also available with Dawn.

He wrote that the stroke was treatable and its disability can be reversed by timely removal of clots from blood vessels in the brain through angiography.

It is a matter of grave concern that 24/7 stroke intervention services are not available in any government hospital of Punjab except for RIC Rawalpindi, he said, adding that the private sector also lacks this life-saving service for the critical patients.

“Unfortunately, the RIC stroke intervention programme is on hold for the last two months and everyday 15/20 stroke patients brought to the hospital are denied treatment due to non-availability of funds and equipment,” reads the letter.

“You are requested to facilitate the expeditious release of the funds to the RIC under a separate stroke head on an annual recurring basis,” he added.

Through the letter, he also urged Dr Farqad to take up establishment of mechanical thrombectomy-capable stroke centres in Punjab as an urgent agenda on CM task force as hundreds of thousands of patients are suffering in Pakistan.

However, the sources say, Mr Mahmood was not happy with Dr Asim for bypassing him and writing the letter to the task force chairman, and has sought an explanation from him in this regard.

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2024