ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Health Services Syed Mustafa Kamal on Tuesday formally launched Pakistan’s first public-sector Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) programme at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), where four patients suffering from atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common irregular heart rhythm associated with stroke and heart failure, underwent treatment using one of the world’s latest catheter ablation technologies as part of a major upgrade of the hospital’s cardiac services.
The minister also inaugurated Phase-I of the upgraded PIMS Cardiac Centre and launched a Patient Facilitation Assistant Service in the Emergency Department, describing the initiatives as part of efforts to modernise healthcare services at the country’s largest public-sector tertiary care hospital.
The first four patients treated under the programme included 61-year-old Taj Muhammad from Islamabad, who had been suffering from recurrent palpitations for two years; 53-year-old Riaz Ahmad from Islamabad, who had experienced palpitations and dizziness since 2024; 63-year-old Riaz Ahmad from Mirpur, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, who had a history of palpitations since 2023 and recently lost consciousness; and 28-year-old Ali Raza from Mardan, who had been living with palpitations, chest heaviness and shortness of breath since 2022.
The programme uses Boston Scientific’s Farapulse Pulsed Field Ablation System, introduced in Pakistan through its local partner, Ferozsons Laboratories Limited, making PIMS the first public-sector hospital in the country to offer the latest-generation catheter ablation technology for atrial fibrillation and other complex heart rhythm disorders.
Unlike conventional radiofrequency and cryotherapy ablation, Pulsed Field Ablation uses ultra-short electrical pulses to selectively destroy abnormal heart muscle cells responsible for irregular heart rhythms while preserving surrounding healthy tissue. Experts say the technology significantly reduces the risk of injury to the oesophagus, phrenic nerve and pulmonary veins, shortens procedure time and enables more patients to be treated safely.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Mustafa Kamal said PIMS remained the country’s largest referral hospital, serving patients from Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other parts of Pakistan. He said the hospital receives around 7,000 to 9,000 patients daily, while the total number of patients and attendants visiting the facility reaches 30,000 to 40,000 every day.
He said the excessive burden on tertiary hospitals reflected the weakness of the country’s primary healthcare system, where common illnesses that should be managed at Basic Health Units and dispensaries were instead reaching major teaching hospitals. The minister said the government was reviving 28 Basic Health Units in Islamabad to strengthen primary healthcare and reduce pressure on hospitals such as PIMS.
Highlighting the cardiac centre’s expansion, he said the Rs7.2 billion state-of-the-art facility had been completed with an additional investment of Rs900 million and equipped with advanced cardiac technology that would provide free treatment to eligible patients.
PIMS Project Director Prof Dr Akhtar Bandesha described the launch as another milestone in strengthening specialised cardiac care under the federal government’s Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). He said Pakistani patients would now be able to receive one of the world’s most advanced treatments without travelling abroad.
Chief Executive Officer of a private company, Usman Khalid Waheed, said the introduction of the Farapulse system reflected the company’s commitment to bringing cutting-edge medical technologies to Pakistan and expanding access to advanced treatment through partnerships with leading healthcare institutions.
Head of Cardiac Electrophysiology at PIMS Prof Brig Dr Azmat Hayat termed the initiative a landmark development, saying Pakistan had become the first country in the region to introduce this advanced technology in the public sector. He said atrial fibrillation was the most common sustained cardiac rhythm disorder worldwide and estimated that between three and five million Pakistanis could be living with the condition, many remaining undiagnosed until they developed stroke, heart failure or other serious complications.
He said Pulsed Field Ablation offers an excellent safety profile and high efficacy, with success rates approaching 99 percent in appropriately selected patients while substantially reducing complications associated with conventional thermal ablation techniques.
The ceremony was attended by PIMS Executive Director Dr Rana Imran Sikandar, Cardiac Centre Director Prof Dr Fazle Aziz Mian, District Health Officer Islamabad Dr Batool Ahmed, Dr Ayesha Isani, the US Chargé d’Affaires to Pakistan, the US Consul General in Karachi, senior officials of Boston Scientific, physicians and officials of the Ministry of National Health Services.
