Karachi: The Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology (SICHN) has received 22 advanced Italian ventilators for its Children Hospital Korangi, significantly boosting its capacity to provide life-saving intensive care services for critically ill newborns and children, while opening the door to broader healthcare cooperation between Pakistan and Italy.
The ventilators, manufactured by Italian medical technology company Siare, were inaugurated by Italy’s Consul General in Karachi, Fabrizio Bielli, during a visit to Children Hospital Korangi, where discussions also focused on future collaboration in medical technology, healthcare infrastructure and professional training.
Officials said the addition of the 22 ventilators would substantially strengthen the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), enabling doctors to provide advanced respiratory support to a greater number of critically ill infants and children requiring specialised treatment.
During his visit, the Italian Consul General toured various departments of the hospital and was briefed on the specialised services being offered to children and newborns from Karachi and other parts of Sindh. He visited the NICU and PICU and reviewed the facilities available for managing complex paediatric and neonatal cases.
Fabrizio Bielli praised SICHN’s efforts to expand access to quality healthcare for children and acknowledged the important role modern medical equipment plays in improving patient outcomes and saving lives. He said Italy was keen to support initiatives aimed at strengthening healthcare services and medical technology partnerships.
During discussions with SICHN leadership, the Consul General assured the institution of his continued support and encouraged it to identify leading Italian manufacturers of medical technologies and healthcare equipment. He said the Italian Consulate would help facilitate contacts with reputable companies and explore opportunities for future collaboration.
SICHN Executive Director Prof Dr Jamal Raza and Chief Operating Officer Dr Rehan informed the Consul General that the institute was interested in building long term partnerships with Italian healthcare institutions and medical equipment companies. They also expressed a desire to visit Italy to engage directly with potential partners and explore opportunities for collaboration.
The Italian diplomat welcomed the proposal and reiterated his willingness to assist in establishing direct communication with relevant Italian organisations and companies to advance healthcare cooperation.
Both sides also discussed professional exchange and capacity-building programmes. SICHN proposed arrangements under which its doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals could receive advanced training and clinical exposure in Italy, while Italian experts could visit Pakistan to share expertise and support specialised training initiatives.
Officials said such collaborations could help enhance local expertise in paediatric and neonatal care while improving access to modern treatment techniques and technologies.
The Consul General was also briefed on the contributions of Italian healthcare companies Chiesi and Siare, whose work in pharmaceuticals, medical technology and healthcare innovation has supported healthcare development initiatives in various countries.
The visit concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to expanding cooperation in healthcare, medical technology, training and institutional development, with officials expressing hope that the partnership would contribute to better treatment outcomes and improved critical care services for children across Sindh.
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