Our Success Story

آپریشن تو روز کے لاکھوں کا خرچہ ہے میں غریب آدمی گھر ایک وقت کی روٹی نہیں لاسکتا اتنا خرچہ کیسے اٹھاتا.

These were the words of Abdul Latif, a 70-year-old when asked why he had not undergone any operation despite being unable to digest food. 

Latif lives in Kimal Town Karachi, and he is unemployed. His son is running the house by doing a few small jobs. Their financial condition was too weak to consider any treatment. Four months ago, Latif started vomiting throughout the day and could not digest anything. 

As his condition worsened, they incurred debts to take him to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with liver swelling and an enlarged heart. The doctors suggested that the only option for his survival was an operation, which they could not afford.

They turned to NIGAHBAN- the Civil Hospital when they were on the verge of losing hope. Latif has been admitted to this facility for 18 days and has undergone surgery and an endoscopy. He has begun to recover, regaining weight after the surgery. He expressed happiness, sharing that the pain has reduced, and after the next endoscopy, he will fully recover.

NIGAHBAN receives cases like Latif's daily. We have witnessed patients brought in critical conditions on stretchers, only to leave walking on their own. This exemplifies our mission: to save every precious life, viewing each patient not just as a case but as a valuable individual to be saved.

"I don’t remember the year this pain started and I have become used to having it all the time."

The team NIGHABAN Welfare Association was the driving force behind the establishment of the brand new institute SIAG as without their expertise it was not possible to implement this initiative. It was the vision of Dr. Saad Khalid Niaz, a renowned gastroenterologist and President of NIGAHBAN. Hence, with the generous support of the Sindh Government and the instrumental NIGAHBAN, which contributed 250 Million rupees towards the construction and acquisition of state-of-the-art machinery, SIAG aspires to deliver advanced gastroenterological services to the people of Sindh and beyond.

SIAG is a new feather in the cap of NWA, benefiting the people of Sindh.

It was inaugurated in May 2023 by the Honorable Chief Minister of Sindh, Mr. Murad Ali Shah. SIAG deals with upper GI endoscopy, colonoscopy, ERCP, spyglass, and more. One of the unique features of SIAG is its specialized facility for pediatric procedures and a fully equipped pediatric High Dependency Unit. SIAG is committed to providing high-quality medical care to all, regardless of their financial means. More than 900 procedures are performed each month completely free of charge. The purpose is to benefit more and more people.

Ensuring accessible healthcare for all, SIAG (Sindh Institute of Advanced Endoscopy and Gastroenterology)provides a wide range of specialized procedures, completely free of charge for our patients.

In the subsequent section of the article, we expound upon the range of services that have been consistently offered over preceding years.

Our Upper GI Endoscopy, Colonoscopy, ERCP with stents, Spyglass for difficult bile duct stones, Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS), Enteroscopy, Capsule Endoscopy, High Resolution Manometry, and 24 Hours pH Monitoring are instrumental in diagnosing and treating various gastrointestinal conditions. 

Moreover, our ESWL (Extra corporal shock wave lithotripter) for pancreatic stones stands as a pioneering achievement in Pakistan and the second in Southeast Asia.

Each individual who enters the premises of SIAG is entitled to treatment that is provided free of cost and we conduct 900 distinct procedures monthly.

It has been 26 years of enduring this severe pain. Since my birth, I had stones in my pancreas leading me to undergo numerous treatments in my hometown, Nawab Shah, which lacks basic facilities and proper treatment.

“I could not even continue my studies after intermediate due to my bad health"

Despite financial strains my father always managed to take me to the hospital, I underwent several surgeries, few doctors said my intestine was not in the correct position. Others said medicines would work but they did not and I kept on bearing this. All of this drove me to a state of isolation and with no hope I came to NIGAHBAN. 

جس کا کوئی نہیں ہوتا اس کا الله نگہبان ہوتا ہے

Soon after admitting me, the doctors did tests and revealed that the wrong medicines and operations had badly damaged my pancreas. They have now started installing stents to open blocked tubes in the pancreas, whichbrought a little relief to my pain. For another week I am staying here for treatment I am assured that I will recover. This is the first time in a long while that I feel confident in the doctors' care. 

I am thankful to NIGAHAN that the problem no doctor could diagnose throughout my life was immediately found out by specialists here. 

NIGAHBAN: A Beacon of Empathy and Expertise

The health of Saleem deteriorated due to his inability to afford treatment.

مجھے لگا میں یونہی درد میں کسی علاج کے بغیررہ جاؤں گا۔ 

Saleem had been suffering from piles for the last three years, but his financial situation was never stable enough for any treatment or to purchase medicines for himself. When the condition got severe, he sought treatment at a civil hospital in Hyderabad and underwent surgery but the pain continued to increase. The doctors referred him to NIGAHBAN.

In NWA, after thorough checkups and endoscopy, he was diagnosed with rectal cancer. He began chemotherapy at our facility and is currently undergoing medication. While his condition has shown improvement, the road to full recovery remains long.

I cannot see him in this pain and be bedridden anymore, if we had the means to get any treatment his condition wouldhave been better. - says Saleem's brother.

In this challenging journey, we appeal to our donors as every donation counts. We request them to stand alongside us in providing Saleem and others like him with the care they desperately need.

I have the responsibility of fifteen family members on my shoulders and I don't know how my household will be managed.- Ali Muhammad

Ali Muhammad, 28 years old, is the sole breadwinner of his extended family. Being a farmer, he was barely managing to make ends meet throughout the month. While he was working in the field, a donkey attached to a cart ran over him, causing severe injury to his liver. He was rushed to the nearest hospital in his hometown, Larkana, where surgery was performed to repair the liver. However, his problems did not end there. After a month, he began experiencing stomach pain. In a despairing condition, he sought help at civil hospital NIGAHBAN.

Doctors conducted tests and found that his stomach had accumulated water, leading to severe pain.

Ali Muhammad is currently undergoing treatment and is responding well to medication. He will remain under observation until his stomach functions normally again.

free, the operation remains pending. Our facility sees patients from all walks of life as we not only offer free treatments but also give compassionate care akin to that of family members from our dedicated staff.

In the embrace of NIGAHBAN, every patient finds care and compassion.

It has been three days since her surgery at the Civil Hospital (NIGAHBAN), and she is showing significant improvement as compared to before. Such cases are often encountered in NWA, encouraging doctors to stay attentive in serving communities who have no one else to rely on during times of distress or misery.

We received the patient in an extremely critical condition; her intestine had ruptured, and upon arrival, her breathing was rapidly deteriorating. 

Fortunately, it was morning, and all our doctors were prepared to conduct the necessary surgery.

Farida, the patient, shared, 

“I had been experiencing abdominal pain for more than a year, but never did I imagine it could escalate to causing unbearable pain (rapture).”

It has been three days since Farida underwent surgery at the Civil Hospital (NIGAHBAN), and her condition has significantly improved. Cases like Farida's are not uncommon in our region, which underscores the importance of doctors who remain dedicated to serving communities that may have no one else to rely on during times of distress.

There are times when we encounter patients whom we may not be able to assist much initially. We perform surgeries on them and then refer them to the Cancer Ward. One such case is Sonia, who had been experiencing multiple episodes of vomiting each day and weakness for the past 12 days, following the onset of nausea shortly after meals. Diagnostic tests conducted at our facility revealed that Sonia was in the third stage of intestinal cancer. She underwent surgery and her body exhibited positive signs of recovery.

"We were unaware of her cancer until we arrived at the civil hospital (NIGAHBAN),"

Said Sonia's husband.

20 years old Sonia and her husband are hopeful as she is undergoing chemotherapy and her health is recovering with the treatments. Both are waiting for the day when she will be discharged and they'll go back to meet their only son.

We provide the best possible care and an environment of healing to all our patients.

The daily life at Civil Hospital NIGHAHBAN is unique. Every day, we encounter a variety of patients afflicted with different ailments. Some arrive in critical condition, necessitating immediate surgery, while others have complications that make surgical intervention risky. One such case is that of Zainab Bibi, a 28-year-old married woman from Karachi. Upon her arrival with severe abdominal pain, medical tests, including an ultrasound, revealed a knot in her appendix. Operating on her could have been a serious threat to her life. Consequently, we admitted her and administered medications to alleviate her pain. Although she is now pain-free, the operation remains pending. Our facility sees patients from all walks of life as we not only offer free treatments but also give compassionate care akin to that of family members from our dedicated staff.

In the embrace of NIGAHBAN, every patient finds care and compassion.

I am very old and can't work; it's my son who runs the house and makes ends meet. We had nothing else but hopes for my wife to recover. -Gull Khan

When Gull Khan brought his 60-year-old wife to the hospital, she was in extreme pain. After the test doctors diagnosed she had gallstones that had formed long ago. She had been enduring this pain for 7 years but their financial conditions didn't allow her to go for treatments. When her condition worsened they took her to the nearest hospital and the doctors referred her to NIGAHBAN.

In the civil hospital (NIGAHBAN), she underwent laparoscopy to remove gallstones. After one session, she experienced significant relief. The illiterate/less-informed husband had no idea the pain his wife had been bearing for seven years could have a treatment like this. She is now under observation; by the time you will be reading the story she will gone back home living happily with her family. 

Fifty-year-old Shahista from Gulshan-e-Hadeed came to the NIGHABAN facility in an extremely critical condition.

She had been suffering from jaundice, which led to the development of an ulcer in her stomach, resulting in swelling in her pancreas. Doctors diagnosed her with a tumor, but due to the swelling, she could not undergo a biopsy. Shahista lives in a rented house with her extended family, and her husband is retired from his job; it was NIGAHBAAN that gave her relief from extreme pain and the burden of responsibilities.

It has been a whole month since she was admitted to our hospital, and she is under observation. The good news is that she is recovering quite quickly. The surgery to remove the tumor will be performed as the swelling of her pancreas decreases. During this crucial time, let us step forward and contribute to helping women like Shahista recover and return to their homes happily.

We cannot afford any private hospital, if NIGAHBAN wasn't there, I don't know in what condition my mother would have been, -says Shahista's daughter.