More than 150,000 people die annually in Pakistan from organ failure, and a government-funded hospital in Sindh is providing free kidney and liver transplants. This treatment, which typically costs between 6 to 10 million rupees, is a crucial service for patients who cannot afford this life-saving surgery.
Gambat Institute of Medical and Health Sciences (GIMS), also known as Pir Syed Qadir Shah Jilani Institute of Medical Sciences, is located in Khairpur district and has now become a comprehensive 1000-bed medical institution. To date, the institute has performed over 1,100 organ transplants with a reported success rate of more than 90 percent.
As the first and only liver transplant center in Sindh, GIMS performs this complex operation completely free of charge. This includes all related medical tests, which are conducted according to international standards. The hospital serves a wide population, with patients coming from all four provinces, Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and even neighboring Afghanistan.
The development of this institution was led by its director, Captain (Retired) Dr. Rahim Bakhsh Bhatti, who started his work 44 years ago with a two-room dispensary. Dr. Bhatti said, “When I used to say that I would build a world-class modern hospital here, people would laugh. But I used to say that if the intention is strong, anything is possible.”
The project received a significant boost in 1988 when former Senator Pir of Gambat Muhammad Shah provided land and initial funds. The current scale of operations, especially the organ transplant program started in 2016, is run with funding from the Sindh government. Sources also mentioned the support of the Pakistan Peoples Party in the development of the institution, including the acquisition of advanced medical machinery that is reportedly not available in other Asian and Arab countries.
To establish its transplant capabilities, GIMS initially collaborated with a medical team from Germany. Over a period of two years, German experts helped in the construction of modern operation theaters and wards while also training a local team of Pakistani doctors. Dr. Bhatti explained, “After two years, when they went back, we had a specialized team of expert doctors ready. We no longer need anyone’s help from outside.”
In addition to organ transplants, GIMS provides a wide range of other free medical services. These include dialysis, angiography, angioplasty, bypass surgery, bone marrow transplant, and surgeries related to pediatrics and gynecology. The institution is equipped with its modern diagnostic machinery, ventilators, incubators for newborns, and an advanced ICU.
The institution’s infrastructure extends to non-medical facilities for patients and their families, including a gymnasium, library, park, and auditorium. Academically, GIMS was granted institute status in 2007, became a degree-awarding institution in 2013, and started its first classes in 2023. It has also established research facilities, including a modern animal house.
The comprehensive list of free services at GIMS includes a renal transplant center, trauma center, burn center, maternal and child care, physiotherapy, advanced radiology (MRI, CT scan, digital X-ray), blood bank, and 24-hour ambulance services. The institution’s future development plans include establishing a hepatobiliary department, a cancer hospital, a nursing school, and several postgraduate programs.