KARACHI: The Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT), with a view to facilitating kidney patients, has opened its first satellite dialysis centre in the central district.

The centre has been established in close collaboration with the All Pakistan Women Association (APWA) and named as the SIUT-APWA Akram Khatoon Medical Centre.

With 10 dialysis machines already operational, it is expected to conduct over 7,000 dialysis sessions annually. The existing premises was generously given by APWA and renovated and refurbished by the SIUT. It also houses a water purification plant, an essential requisite for dialysis.APWA President Laila Haroon Sarfaraz said that the centre was of a great benefit to the residents of district central and west and would save patients’ commuting time and cost.

Initially the facility was set up by APWA as a maternity home along with an outpatient department but it was taken over by a law-enforcement agency and finally returned to the APWA only a few years ago.

The national executive committee of APWA took the decision to run the premises in collaboration with the SIUT which would provide people  free-of-charge and quality health services without compromising their dignity.

At the inauguration, Ms Sarfaraz thanked Dr Adib-ul- Hasan Rizvi and his team and said that this great effort would be of immense benefit to kidney patients in all the surrounding areas.

Dr Rizvi thanked Ms Sarfaraz and APWA for taking the initiative and creating the opportunity to enhance patient welfare.

It is estimated that almost 20,000 people suffer from end-stage renal failure every year in Pakistan.—APP