Turkish aid agency TIKA sets up operating room at Pakistan's largest children hospital

Türkiye's state-operated aid agency has established a "cutting-edge" operating room at a children's hospital in the southern port city of Karachi.

The operating room was established at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH), Pakistan's largest state-run children's hospital, by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) to serve Pakistani children in need of specialised medical care.

Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Mehmet Pacaci, along with Sindh Provincial Health Minister Dr. Saad Khalid Niaz, Turkish Consul General in Karachi Cemal Sangu, and TIKA's Karachi coordinator Halil Ibrahim Basaran, inaugurated the operating room on Monday.

Speaking at the ceremony, the health minister expressed his gratitude to TIKA for its "continuous dedication" to enhancing the healthcare sector in Sindh province, with Karachi as its capital.

The establishment of the modern operating room, he added, marked a "significant" milestone in Türkiye-Pakistan relations.

He also praised TIKA's commitment to equipping multiple hospitals across Pakistan with modern medical facilities.

Highlighting the longstanding friendship between the two countries, Pacaci said both nations have shown "unwavering support" to each other in challenging times.

He commended TIKA for its charitable work in over 150 countries, pointing out various ongoing projects in Pakistan, including Pak-Turk schools and colleges.

TIKA's Karachi coordinator Basaran revealed that the agency has undertaken over 80 healthcare projects throughout Pakistan.