KARACHI: Sindh's first comprehensive public-sector stroke center has formally started operations at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Karachi, marking a major milestone in improving access to advanced stroke care for patients who cannot afford costly treatment.
The newly launched facility, inaugurated on Wednesday, is a joint initiative of the Patients’ Aid Foundation (PAF) and the Pakistan Stroke Initiative (PSI). It has been established to provide free, state-of-the-art treatment for both major types of stroke, conditions that often require highly specialized and expensive neurointerventional procedures.
According to Dr. Irfan Amjad Lutfi, Director of the Neurointervention Program at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), the center is equipped to treat patients suffering from ischemic stroke, in which a blood clot blocks an artery supplying the brain, as well as hemorrhagic stroke, caused by the rupture of a brain blood vessel.
"Stroke treatment is extremely expensive and, unfortunately, remains beyond the reach of the majority of people in Pakistan," Dr. Lutfi said while announcing the launch of the facility.
He explained that the primary objective of the new center is to ensure that financial hardship no longer prevents patients from receiving timely, life-saving treatment.
A key feature of the initiative is the participation of a team of Pakistani neurointervention specialists based in the United States, who have volunteered to provide advanced stroke procedures free of cost. Under the Pakistan Stroke Initiative, these physicians will travel to Pakistan at different times throughout the year to perform complex neurointerventional procedures and work alongside local healthcare professionals.
The project also aims to strengthen local expertise by promoting collaboration, training and knowledge transfer in advanced stroke management.
The comprehensive stroke center has been developed within JPMC's Neurosciences Department and forms part of a broader effort to establish Pakistan's first fully equipped public-sector comprehensive stroke program. Planned facilities include dedicated stroke wards, a Neuro-ICU, advanced neuroangiography capabilities and multidisciplinary stroke care designed to deliver rapid diagnosis, emergency intervention and rehabilitation under one roof.
Pakistan continues to face a growing burden of stroke, one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability. Experts emphasize that rapid treatment within the first few hours after the onset of symptoms significantly improves survival and reduces permanent disability. However, access to advanced procedures such as mechanical thrombectomy and treatment of brain aneurysms has remained limited because of their high cost and the shortage of specialized centers.
With the launch of the comprehensive stroke center at JPMC, organizers hope thousands of patients from Karachi, interior Sindh, Balochistan and other underserved regions will gain access to timely, world-class stroke treatment regardless of their financial status.
Stay informed, stay alert!
CLICK HERE TO JOIN Medical News Pakistan on WhatsApp for real-time health alerts, expert insights, and breakthrough medical discoveries.