Bilawal inaugurates new Rs1.2bn OPD block at NICVD, calls for major tax reforms

KARACHI: Healthcare services at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) received a significant upgrade on Friday as Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari inaugurated a state-of-the-art Outpatient Department (OPD) block, a project long delayed since 2016.

Constructed at a cost of Rs1.2 billion under a public-private partnership, the modern OPD block has been built with support from civil society organisations on land provided by the Sindh government. According to officials, the new facility will cater to 2,800–3,000 patients daily, providing comprehensive diagnostic and clinical services under one roof.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Mr Bhutto-Zardari said the new OPD is a testament to the Sindh government’s achievements in the health sector following the 18th Constitutional Amendment.

“Our performance speaks volumes. The progress made in Sindh’s healthcare sector is far ahead of what the federal government has achieved,” he said, reaffirming the province’s commitment to offering free treatment to patients.

Calls for deeper devolution of taxation powers

The PPP chairman used the occasion to reiterate his call for sweeping tax reforms, urging that more taxation authority be delegated to the provinces.

He argued that Pakistan’s ongoing financial crises stem from the failure of federal institutions, notably the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), to fulfil their responsibilities.

“Some in the federal government still believe that the powers devolved to provinces should be taken back. This is not the solution,” he said, stressing that provincial tax bodies had outperformed the federal machinery since devolution.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari noted that Sindh’s Sales Tax on Services collection had surpassed federal benchmarks, and that Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had shown similar improvement.

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“We are ready to collect taxes for the federation. If given targets, we will meet them and deposit the revenue. If we fall short, we will compensate the federation from our own share,” he added, proposing that provinces retain any revenue collected beyond assigned targets.

Expansion in cardiac network

The PPP chairman also commended NICVD’s transformation into the “world’s largest cardiac network,” with satellite centres functioning in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sehwan, Tando Muhammad Khan and Mithi, as well as several chest pain units across Karachi.

Sindh CM unveils $17m medical tower plan

At the ceremony, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah announced plans to build a $17 million medical tower at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) in collaboration with philanthropist Faisal Edhi. The government has already secured $10m, with the remaining amount to be provided by the province.

“This shows how our partnerships with philanthropists and healthcare professionals are driving real progress,” the chief minister said, praising ongoing expansions at NICVD, NICH and JPMC.

NICVD Director Prof Tahir Saghir thanked the government and civil society partners for their continued support.