The centre will conduct all laboratory tests, which are earlier not being conducted in state-run medical institutions or even in private laboratories except two � one in Karachi and another in Lahore.
Approved by KEMU`s syndicate meeting in August this year, the centre would be the first public sector project, which would initially have a chain of 10 laboratory collection centres in parts of the provincial capital. One of the 10 collection centres has been established on Lawrence Road and would be made functional in a couple of weeks.
Established at the cost of Rs45 million, the diagnostic centre would extend its network of collection centres to cities like Karachi, Islamabad, Quetta and Peshawar. KEMU vice-chancellor Prof Dr Asad Aslam told Dawn the centre would be made functional soon.
Project director Dr Mulazim Hussain Bukhari said the diagnostic centre would conduct all advanced laboratory tests. He said the centre would work day and night 365 days of the year. It had hired highly qualified and experienced faculty members and working staff. It would start functioning on Jan 15.
At the same time, the centre would provide research facilities to KEMU students and generate revenue for the institution. It shall primarily include five important sections like chemical pathology, microbiology, histopathology, cytology laboratory and haematology and blood banking. It would be the hub of special laboratories for renal diseases, liver disorders and paediatric disorders.
The centre would be equipped with state of the art radiological diagnostic set up. It would hire new staff with an attractive pay band share and KEMU syndicate meeting had approved Rs20.14 for the salary structure of the staff only. One-time capital cost for purchased items would be Rs30.364 million.
DAWN