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Lahore Cardiology Institute: A Billion-Dollar Hospital Still Closed
6 Oct
Summary
- Newly established Jinnah Institute of Cardiology has not performed any key procedures.
- Patients are being diverted to overcrowded hospitals six weeks post-launch.
- Staffing shortages persist despite multiple advertisements for vacant positions.
The Jinnah Institute of Cardiology (JIC) in Lahore, a Rs17 billion facility, has failed to commence crucial cardiac procedures six weeks after its inauguration on August 21, 2026. Patients requiring angiography, angioplasty, and bypass surgeries are being referred to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) and other overburdened hospitals. Inaugurated by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz as Pakistan's first cardiac transplant center, the JIC boasts advanced facilities including a catheterisation lab and modular operation theatres.
Despite the establishment under the Punjab Specialised Medical Institutions Act 2025, which aimed to reform healthcare, the JIC faces significant operational hurdles. Advertisements for staff positions began in January 2026, yet many senior cardiologists and cardiac surgeons have not joined, leaving departments without heads. Currently, only the outpatient and emergency departments are functioning; indoor services are yet to be offered.
Punjab Health Minister Khwaja Salman Rafique acknowledged delays due to "unavoidable circumstances," anticipating full operations within three weeks. He assured that patients referred to PIC would soon be accommodated at JIC. Modifications proposed by the Dean, Dr. Hasnat Khan, and the recruitment of experienced surgeons are underway. The minister pledged to ensure angiography procedures commence the following week, aiming to alleviate the burden on PIC.
