Karachi: The Sindh Institute of Advanced Endoscopy and Gastroenterology (SIAG) Karachi has become the first healthcare facility in Pakistan to be recognized as a Centre of Excellence in endoscopy, earning international recognition from global medical organizations for maintaining high standards in endoscopic care, training and patient services.
Executive Director of SIAG Prof. Dr. Saad Khalid Niaz said the institute had been recognized by leading global medical technology company Boston Scientific as Pakistan’s first Centre of Excellence in advanced endoscopy, a development that would pave the way for SIAG to emerge as an international training hub for endoscopic procedures.
He said the World Endoscopy Organization had also included SIAG in its prestigious Collaboration of Organized and Recognized Endoscopy Units (CORE) programme, making it the only centre from Pakistan to be inducted into the global network of internationally recognized endoscopy facilities.
“These recognitions are proof of the quality of services, infection control standards, patient safety protocols and advanced endoscopic procedures being performed at SIAG,” Prof. Dr. Saad Khalid Niaz said while talking about the achievement.
He maintained that SIAG was providing completely free and cashless treatment to patients despite maintaining international standards of healthcare and clinical excellence.
According to Prof. Dr. Saad Khalid Niaz, the recognition by international organizations would enable SIAG to offer structured training opportunities to doctors and endoscopy specialists from Pakistan and abroad, helping improve the quality of gastroenterology and endoscopic services in the region.
Located in Karachi’s oldest public health facility Civil Hospital Karachi, SIAG is regarded as one of Pakistan’s leading public sector facilities for advanced gastroenterology, hepatology and endoscopic services. The institute provides free diagnosis and treatment for diseases related to the digestive system, liver, pancreas and gastrointestinal tract.
The facility offers advanced procedures including upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy, colonoscopy, ERCP, endoscopic ultrasound, management of gastrointestinal bleeding, liver disease treatment and screening for stomach and colon cancers. SIAG also receives a large number of patients from Sindh and other provinces who cannot afford expensive private healthcare services.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah congratulated Prof. Dr. Saad Khalid Niaz and the SIAG team on the international recognition, saying the achievement reflected Sindh government’s commitment to improving public healthcare and bringing world class medical facilities to the people of Pakistan.
Sindh Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho also felicitated SIAG management and healthcare professionals, stating that the institute had set a new benchmark for public sector healthcare institutions in Pakistan by achieving international recognition while continuing to provide free treatment to patients.
Health experts termed the development a major milestone for Pakistan’s healthcare sector, noting that international accreditation and recognition of local medical centres would enhance global confidence in the country’s healthcare services and create opportunities for training, research and collaboration with international institutions.
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