KARACHI: Sindh Governor Syed Muhammad Nehal Hashmi has said that the treatment of heart patients should not be limited to the provision of medical facilities, but must also include effective measures for their complete recovery and rehabilitation.
Addressing a stakeholders’ consultation on “Making Cardiac Rehabilitation Accessible to All: Shaping the Future in Pakistan”, organised by the Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning (PILL) at Governor House, he said that promising research should be translated into practical initiatives and incorporated into health policies rather than remaining confined to academic discussions.
He said that addressing cardiovascular diseases and ensuring patients’ complete recovery required a joint strategy involving the government, medical institutions, researchers, doctors and social organizations, as no single institution could independently overcome these challenges.
He said that PILL, in collaboration with the Government of Sindh and the People’s Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI), was working at four demonstration sites across Sindh.
The consultation brought together medical experts, researchers, policymakers and key representatives from the healthcare sector. Its objective was to formulate practical strategies for promoting affordable, accessible and culturally appropriate cardiac rehabilitation services for heart patients in Pakistan.
The meeting was organised in collaboration with the University of Glasgow, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), Peshawar Institute of Cardiology and the University of Manchester, with support from the United Kingdom’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
Professor Rod Taylor delivered the keynote address, highlighting the global burden of cardiovascular diseases, the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation and the challenges facing the sector.
Professor Imran Bashir Chaudhry, Dr Amy Blackmore, Prof Zainab F Zadeh and others also spoke.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026