Civil Hospital
Encyclopedia
Civil Hospital Karachi
is a 1900-bed tertiary care public hospital that imparts both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training. It is one of the teaching hospitals affiliated with the Dow Medical College
now the Dow University of Health Sciences
. Civil Hospital Karachi is arguably the largest teaching hospital of Pakistan, catering not only to all areas of the province of Sindh
but also the neighboring province of Balochistan
as well.
of Bubonic Plague
on the one hand, and the platinum jubilee
of Queen Victoria on the other. The pandemic would kill at least an estimated 10 million people in India alone over a period of 20 years. It is important to mention the status of Karachi at that time. Being the port city, Karachi was the business, military and nerve center of Sindh
right from the start. Towards the close of the nineteenth century, Karachi emerged as the cleanest city towards this side of the Suez Canal
, with an estimated population of 105,000 which continued to grow in view of its strategic importance. Lord Curzon the Viceroy of India visited Civil Hospital Karachi in 1900 and unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the platinum jubilee of Queen Victoria. The plaque is placed in the same spot, which was initially a nursing school and subsequently transformed into a state-of-the-art Burns Center in what is known till today as the Victoria Block or the Jubilee Block, while the entire building is heritage-protected by the provincial Department of Culture allowing for repairs and renovation but eschewing any structural change in its original design. The Civil Hospital Karachi continued to function efficiently until independence as the principal hospital of Karachi and received tremendous impetus after 1945 when the then Governor of Sindh
Sir Hugh Dow
transferred the medical school provisionally recognized by the Bombay University from Hyderabad to Karachi
and laid the foundation of the Dow Medical College
in its present location on 10th December 1945, with the Civil Hospital Karachi attached to it as a teaching hospital. The creation of a new state of Pakistan
brought with it the need for a massive relief and rehabilitation efforts for hundreds of thousands of refugees pouring in from India and addressing all their basic needs including health needs through a largely inadequate and unprepared system. A visitor’s book maintained during the late fifties and early sixties indicates that the Civil Hospital Karachi was frequented by several dignitaries such as government ministers, ambassadors and eminent personalities visiting Pakistan. A 1961 entry by Lady Bird Johnson
then spouse of the Vice President of the USA is particularly revealing: It reads: “This has been a visit both heart-breaking and rewarding. My hat is off to you women doctors!” This indicates that health care professionals have been up against tremendous odds over the last few decades.
in 1947, Karachi became the capital of the new state, both the medical college and its teaching hospital came under the jurisdiction of the provincial government of Sindh (or West Pakistan from 1955-1970). Initially after independence, Col Aziz K M Khan, Principal of Dow Medical College was made administrator of the Civil Hospital Karachi. However in 1949, the post was bifurcated in view of its growing workload, and Dr Ali Ahmed S Kazi
was named as the first Medical Superintendent of the hospital. He established a system of good governance in the hospital and was assisted by a team of senior academicians and hospital administrators prior to his posting as Director Health Services Sindh a few years later. Over the years a few other administrators such as Prof Mahmud Ali Shah and Prof S H Rahimtoola were assigned both the positions of Principal Dow Medical College and Medical Superintendent Civil Hospital Karachi in an effort to better coordinate the functions on the campus. However after the upgradation of the Dow Medical College into the Dow University of Health Sciences
a few years ago, there is a clear cut demarcation between the hospital’s academic and administrative responsibilities. Prof M Saeed Quraishy is the current Medical Superintendent of Civil Hospital Karachi.
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
is a 1900-bed tertiary care public hospital that imparts both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training. It is one of the teaching hospitals affiliated with the Dow Medical College
Dow Medical College
Dow Medical College, is the oldest medical school in Sindh, Pakistan and is located in Karachi. In 2003, it became a constituent college of the newly formed Dow University of Health Sciences. Dow Medical College is the best medical college of Pakistan and one of the oldest education institutions in...
now the Dow University of Health Sciences
Dow University of Health Sciences
Dow University of Health Sciences is a coeducational medical university, owned by Mohammad Hamza Rahman and founded in 2003, in Karachi, Pakistan. It comprises two already established schools, Dow Medical College, and Sindh Medical College as well as the newly formed Dow International Medical...
. Civil Hospital Karachi is arguably the largest teaching hospital of Pakistan, catering not only to all areas of the province of Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
but also the neighboring province of Balochistan
Balochistan
Balochistan or Baluchistan is a region which covers parts of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. It can also refer to one of several modern and historical territories within that region:...
as well.
Historical Background
The Civil Hospital Karachi was founded in 1898 in the wake of a third pandemicPandemic
A pandemic is an epidemic of infectious disease that is spreading through human populations across a large region; for instance multiple continents, or even worldwide. A widespread endemic disease that is stable in terms of how many people are getting sick from it is not a pandemic...
of Bubonic Plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
on the one hand, and the platinum jubilee
Platinum Jubilee
A Platinum Jubilee is a celebration held to mark an anniversary:* 70th in Commonwealth realms usage. For example, on 6 February 2022, Queen Elizabeth II could celebrate her Platinum Jubilee in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica and rest of the Commonwealth realms. She would...
of Queen Victoria on the other. The pandemic would kill at least an estimated 10 million people in India alone over a period of 20 years. It is important to mention the status of Karachi at that time. Being the port city, Karachi was the business, military and nerve center of Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
right from the start. Towards the close of the nineteenth century, Karachi emerged as the cleanest city towards this side of the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
, with an estimated population of 105,000 which continued to grow in view of its strategic importance. Lord Curzon the Viceroy of India visited Civil Hospital Karachi in 1900 and unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the platinum jubilee of Queen Victoria. The plaque is placed in the same spot, which was initially a nursing school and subsequently transformed into a state-of-the-art Burns Center in what is known till today as the Victoria Block or the Jubilee Block, while the entire building is heritage-protected by the provincial Department of Culture allowing for repairs and renovation but eschewing any structural change in its original design. The Civil Hospital Karachi continued to function efficiently until independence as the principal hospital of Karachi and received tremendous impetus after 1945 when the then Governor of Sindh
Governor of Sindh
The Governor of Sindh is the appointed Head of State of the provincial government in Sindh, Pakistan. The governor is designated by the Prime Minister and is normally regarded a ceremonial post...
Sir Hugh Dow
Hugh Dow
Sir Hugh Dow, GCIE, KCSI was an Indian civil servant during the British Raj.-Career:Dow entered the Indian Civil Service in 1909 and served in various senior administrative and advisory capacities in pre-war India. From 1939 to 1941 he was Director-General of Supply and President of the War Supply...
transferred the medical school provisionally recognized by the Bombay University from Hyderabad to Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
and laid the foundation of the Dow Medical College
Dow Medical College
Dow Medical College, is the oldest medical school in Sindh, Pakistan and is located in Karachi. In 2003, it became a constituent college of the newly formed Dow University of Health Sciences. Dow Medical College is the best medical college of Pakistan and one of the oldest education institutions in...
in its present location on 10th December 1945, with the Civil Hospital Karachi attached to it as a teaching hospital. The creation of a new state of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
brought with it the need for a massive relief and rehabilitation efforts for hundreds of thousands of refugees pouring in from India and addressing all their basic needs including health needs through a largely inadequate and unprepared system. A visitor’s book maintained during the late fifties and early sixties indicates that the Civil Hospital Karachi was frequented by several dignitaries such as government ministers, ambassadors and eminent personalities visiting Pakistan. A 1961 entry by Lady Bird Johnson
Lady Bird Johnson
Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor Johnson was First Lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969 during the presidency of her husband Lyndon B. Johnson. Throughout her life, she was an advocate for beautification of the nation's cities and highways and conservation of natural resources and made that...
then spouse of the Vice President of the USA is particularly revealing: It reads: “This has been a visit both heart-breaking and rewarding. My hat is off to you women doctors!” This indicates that health care professionals have been up against tremendous odds over the last few decades.
Organization and management
After the creation of PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in 1947, Karachi became the capital of the new state, both the medical college and its teaching hospital came under the jurisdiction of the provincial government of Sindh (or West Pakistan from 1955-1970). Initially after independence, Col Aziz K M Khan, Principal of Dow Medical College was made administrator of the Civil Hospital Karachi. However in 1949, the post was bifurcated in view of its growing workload, and Dr Ali Ahmed S Kazi
Dr Ali Ahmed S Kazi
Dr Ali Ahmed S Kazi was one of the few physicians when Sindh was created as a province in British India in 1936.-Family:He was born in 1896 and was a nephew of the great intellectual Allama I. I. Kazi and his illustrious wife Elsa Kazi. His father, Sharafuddin Kazi died when he was still quite...
was named as the first Medical Superintendent of the hospital. He established a system of good governance in the hospital and was assisted by a team of senior academicians and hospital administrators prior to his posting as Director Health Services Sindh a few years later. Over the years a few other administrators such as Prof Mahmud Ali Shah and Prof S H Rahimtoola were assigned both the positions of Principal Dow Medical College and Medical Superintendent Civil Hospital Karachi in an effort to better coordinate the functions on the campus. However after the upgradation of the Dow Medical College into the Dow University of Health Sciences
Dow University of Health Sciences
Dow University of Health Sciences is a coeducational medical university, owned by Mohammad Hamza Rahman and founded in 2003, in Karachi, Pakistan. It comprises two already established schools, Dow Medical College, and Sindh Medical College as well as the newly formed Dow International Medical...
a few years ago, there is a clear cut demarcation between the hospital’s academic and administrative responsibilities. Prof M Saeed Quraishy is the current Medical Superintendent of Civil Hospital Karachi.
Services
Initially established in 1898 with 250 beds to provide basic health facilities, the hospital has expanded considerably and has been totally transformed over the years. Its 1900 beds are located in 34 department, with over a dozen major operation theaters and a huge out patient attendance. Greater stress is being laid on public-private partnerships and preventive work notably in the Paediatrics department to avert unnecessary infant and child deaths due to pneumonia, malnutrition, diarrhea or vaccine-preventable illnesses. Measures are also in place to prevent and control major communicable diseases such as Tuberculosis, Malaria, viral Hepatitis B & C and HIV/AIDS, in addition to non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancers having a huge burden in Pakistan. Today as Karachi is a sprawling mega-city with a population estimated at 14 million divided into 18 major towns, the Civil Hospital Karachi lives on to tell two tales in the same city. The services of this teritary care institution has kept in line with the latest technological advances as far as that is compatible with the situation in a low-income developing country. Sophisticated laboratory and radiographical procedures, investigations and examinations are performed totally free to benefit the poor patients attending the hospital. An average of two million out-patients report to the hospital annually; 95% of which are non-affording patients entailing a huge cost on medicines, laboratory facilities and other logistics.Departments
The clinical departments of the hospital include Internal Medicine, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Anesthesiology, Pediatrics, Cardiac Surgery, Oncology, Radiology, General Surgery, Neuro Surgery and Laboratory Civil Hospital is proving all the services and facilities in one premise. The first state-of-the-art Burns unit has also been established in this hospital. The department of surgery comprises six general surgical units besides the specialties of neurosurgery, paediatric surgery, orthopedic surgery, urology, vascular surgery, maxillo-facial surgery and plastic surgery. The department of medicine comprises five general medicine units, 60 beds each. Other specialties includes Cardiology, Psychiatry, Dermatology, Neurology and Nephrology. The Department of Paediatrics has three units with a DTU (Diarrhea Treatment Unit). The Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics is divided into three units, having facilities of labour room and Operation Theatre. The Emergency department has several sections including an Opeation Theatre and Surgical Intensive Care Unit, which are functional around the clock for use in case of mass disasters. All the units function independently.See also
- Hugh DowHugh DowSir Hugh Dow, GCIE, KCSI was an Indian civil servant during the British Raj.-Career:Dow entered the Indian Civil Service in 1909 and served in various senior administrative and advisory capacities in pre-war India. From 1939 to 1941 he was Director-General of Supply and President of the War Supply...
- Dr Ali Ahmed S KaziDr Ali Ahmed S KaziDr Ali Ahmed S Kazi was one of the few physicians when Sindh was created as a province in British India in 1936.-Family:He was born in 1896 and was a nephew of the great intellectual Allama I. I. Kazi and his illustrious wife Elsa Kazi. His father, Sharafuddin Kazi died when he was still quite...
- Sindh Institute of Urology and TransplantationSindh Institute of Urology and TransplantationThe Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation is a dialysis & kidney transplant centre located in Pakistan.SIUT was founded by Dr. Adeebul Hasan Rizvi and it is Pakistan's largest kidney disease center, as well as Parkistan's largest public sector health organisation...