Karachi Launches Affordable Medical Testing Laboratory at Sarfraz Rafiqi Shaheed Hospital

Karachi, Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab announced the opening of a new laboratory at Sarfraz Rafiqi Shaheed Hospital that offers over 150 different medical tests at significantly reduced prices. This facility is designed to make healthcare more accessible to the city’s poor and middle-class populations, with the additional convenience of online booking and home testing services.

According to Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, the initiative is part of a broader effort to provide low-cost medical diagnostic services in Karachi, where the need for diverse medical tests has become increasingly crucial for effective treatment. The mayor highlighted that this laboratory is part of the city’s strategy to enhance healthcare facilities, noting that it operates with costs 45% lower than other local laboratories.

Further improvements in the city’s healthcare infrastructure include upgrades to 14 major hospitals under the management of the KMC. Notable developments include renovations at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital’s emergency, children’s, and gynecology wards, and the introduction of advanced eye testing equipment at Spencer Eye Hospital.

Additionally, the Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases (KIHD) has seen significant advancements with the creation of a state-of-the-art cardiac ward, known as the “blue code,” which provides immediate care for heart disease patients. The Mayor also mentioned the activation of a nursing school on the hospital premises, providing free and merit-based education to 270 students.

Enhancements to the city’s infrastructure around these healthcare facilities have also been made, including the repair of roads and drainage systems near the hospitals, improvements credited to the People’s Party despite the area not being under their direct political control.