KARACHI: The National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) has “achieved a milestone” by starting the first paediatric cardiac electrophysiology programme in the country.

Dr Mohammad Mohsin, trained in paediatric cardiology, with two years of training at University of Alberta in Canada, was recruited by NICVD to start the first paediatric cardiac electrophysiology programme in Pakistan.

An eight-year-old child, resident of Sukkur, with repeated attacks of fast heart rates of up to 200 beats per minute, was treated at NICVD Karachi for free.

This is the first time that ‘EP Study and Ablation Procedure’ has been performed on such a young child in the country.

Speaking to the media, Dr Mohsin, assistant professor, paediatric cardiac electrophysiology, said that the procedure was performed successfully without any complications.

Heart problems in which the heart goes too fast or too slow are not uncommon in children.

Highly specialised doctors can treat these children by means of a complex procedure called electrophysiology study and ablation.

As there were no paediatric electrophysiologists in Pakistan these children could not be adequately treated until now. He said that these complex procedures require dedicated teamwork between referring cardiologists, paediatric cardiologists, technologists, anaesthetists and electrophysiology physicians, all of which are available under one roof at the NICVD.

Dr Azam Shafquat, head of cardiac electrophysiology at NICVD, said that the NICVD was one of the pioneers of catheter-based treatment of heart rhythm problems in the country, but could only treat adult patients. However with this new service, children suffering from these conditions for years could now be treated as well.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2021