Inquiry Ordered After Imran Khan’s Recommended Heart Test Could Not Be Conducted at PIMS
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of the non-availability of CT angiography (CTA) at the cardiology department of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), which resulted in PTI founder Imran Khan being unable to undergo the recommended cardiac test.
According to Dawn, the prime minister has constituted a high-level inquiry committee to investigate the matter. The committee has been directed to examine all aspects of the issue, determine the facts and identify those responsible for any negligence or lapse.
The committee will be headed by the Establishment Division secretary. Its members include the National Health Services secretary, Brigadier Dr Jahanzeb Ali of the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC), Dr Nusratullah Chaudhry, Professor Dr Nadeem Hayat Malik, retired Brigadier Dr Azmat Hayat of PIMS and AFIC CT angiography technician Umar Farooq.
The inquiry committee will determine whether PIMS had the technical capability to conduct CT angiography since 2022 and, if so, whether the required machine, software and trained staff were available. It will also examine records of all CT angiography procedures conducted at PIMS since 2022, including their dates and nature.
Sources said Imran Khan was brought to PIMS on Friday morning for a medical examination, where doctors recommended a CT angiography. However, the test could not be conducted because the facility in the cardiology department was reportedly non-functional. He was subsequently taken back to Adiala Jail.
Some senior PIMS doctors, however, said that a CT angiography machine in the radiology department was operational.
According to a senior doctor, the medical team treating Imran Khan was not informed in time about the availability of the facility. The CT angiography machine in the radiology department has reportedly been operational since March 2022, while the machine at the cardiology centre has remained out of order for a considerable period.
The doctor said CT angiography is generally performed under the supervision of a radiologist, but Imran Khan was not referred to the radiology department for the test.
The inquiry committee will also examine coordination between the cardiology and radiology departments and the procedure for referring patients between the two units. It will investigate whether PIMS patients have routinely been referred to private medical centres for CT angiography and whether any particular private facility was given preference.
The committee will also determine the extent of medical work transferred from the government hospital to private facilities.
The issue emerged amid the Supreme Court’s orders regarding Imran Khan’s medical examination and treatment, including his transfer to a private hospital. The government had also filed a review petition against the court’s order.
Imran Khan was later transferred to PIMS for a medical examination. The government said a team of specialist doctors conducted a detailed assessment and declared him medically fit.
