A significant development for Karachi’s healthcare infrastructure is scheduled for January 4, 2026, with the groundbreaking of a major tertiary care hospital intended to serve up to one million people each year.
According to a report today, the University Medical Complex (UMC) initiative, led by a UN-accredited medical relief group, will also provide completely free-of-charge treatment to an estimated 200,000 underprivileged patients annually.
The ceremony will officially commence the construction of the large-scale facility by Imamia Medics International (IMI), a global humanitarian entity directed by senior doctors of Pakistani origin, a majority of whom are based in the United States. IMI is currently involved in medical relief efforts in more than 30 countries.
To generate public backing and expedite the construction timeline, IMI is also organising a fundraising gala on the evening of January 4 at a prominent hotel in the city. The event will include a video presentation outlining the scope and potential impact of the UMC. Noted media personality Khalid Anum will oversee the fundraising portion of the evening, which is expected to attract numerous philanthropists and donors.
Dr Wajih Rizvi, the founder of IMI, stated that the concept for the UMC emerged from decades of experience running 25 charitable clinics across Pakistan. These existing clinics currently offer medical attention to approximately 150,000 patients per year at no cost.
He highlighted that IMI”s credibility is underscored by its United Nations accreditation, which was first granted 25 years ago and later upgraded to a special consultative status in 2006.
Dr Rizvi also mentioned that the organisation”s volunteer medical professionals have a history of responding to major disasters, including the 2005 earthquake and recent widespread flooding in Pakistan, by delivering essential medical assistance to affected populations. He pointed out that IMI was one of the few Muslim-origin relief organisations to provide emergency aid in Haiti after its devastating earthquake.
Situated on University Road in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, near the University of Karachi, the UMC is designed to be a multi-speciality complex. It will feature an emergency trauma centre, dedicated women”s and child health services, and advanced care for both infectious and non-communicable diseases. The long-term plan envisions the complex also becoming a centre for medical education and research.
‘With Karachi poised to become one of the world’s most populous cities, demand for quality healthcare far exceeds current capacity,’ Dr Rizvi remarked. ‘The UMC will help bridge this gap-particularly for low- and middle-income families who are increasingly priced out of private healthcare.’
‘This is more than a hospital,’ he concluded. ‘It is a sustainable healthcare lifeline-and January 4 will mark the beginning of that promise.’
The project has also received the endorsement of respected religious scholar Allama Syed Shahenshah Hussain Naqvi, who has assured IMI of his complete support for the facility”s construction.