The Jinnah Institute of Cardiology in Lahore has been officially renamed as Maryam Nawaz Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, following cabinet approval. The institute was initiated during the previous PTI government.
Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafiq confirmed the change during a conversation with a TV channel, stating that the renaming reflects the hospital’s new identity as a separate, independent entity no longer functioning as the expansion project of Jinnah Hospital.
“The hospital is now an autonomous facility and will be governed by its own board,” said Rafique. “It will not be under the administrative control of Jinnah Hospital anymore or affiliated with it in any way.”
The Health Minister informed that the Maryam Nawaz Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases is being developed with a futuristic approach to meet international standards in cardiac treatment, like the installation of AI-powered and robotic medical machinery, infrastructure designed for health tourism, and facilities aimed at attracting international patients seeking advanced cardiovascular care.
“We expect that patients from abroad will come here for treatment. The hospital is being built with a vision for health tourism and cutting-edge technology,” Rafique added.
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He added that the new name of the hospital has been included in the provincial budget book and official departmental communications.
It will restrict residents from availing medical treatment outside the province under the Sehat Sahulat Ghat program. The directive clarifies that only patients already under treatment before July 1 will be permitted to continue their care. The Sehat Sahulat Ghat program, once welcomed as a landmark initiative for universal health coverage, is now undergoing significant reform.
While the Punjab Sehat Ghat suspension touches inter-provincial access, the program remains active within Punjab in selected areas of KP and Balochistan. This move follows the Punjab government’s wider decision to stop Sehat Card services in public hospitals altogether. As of June 30, 2025, free treatment under the card has been stopped in all government hospitals in the Punjab province.