KARACHI: Dow University Hospital has become the first public sector general hospital in Sindh to receive a Regular License from the Sindh Healthcare Commission (SHCC), after successfully meeting the Commission's prescribed standards for quality healthcare, patient safety, and regulatory compliance.
The license was formally presented during a ceremony held at the Abdul Qadeer Khan Auditorium, Dow International Medical College, Ojha Campus. The event was attended by Sindh Healthcare Commission Chief Executive Officer Dr. Ahsan Qavi, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) Vice Chancellor Professor Nazli Hossain, Pro Vice Chancellors Professor Jehan Ara Hassan, Professor Sajida Qureshi, and Professor Zahid Azam, along with faculty members and SHCC officials.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Ahsan Qavi said that obtaining a Regular License marks the beginning of a greater responsibility rather than the end of a process. He emphasized that maintaining quality standards requires continuous improvement, institutional commitment, and accountability.
Referring to the recent reports of HIV transmission allegedly linked to the reuse of syringes at a hospital in Karachi's SITE area, Dr. Qavi stressed the importance of ethical medical practice, infection prevention and control, proper documentation, informed consent, and effective communication with patients. He said that quality healthcare depends not only on systems but also on the integrity and professionalism of healthcare providers.
DUHS Vice Chancellor Professor Nazli Hossain said that continuous self-assessment, regular audits, policy reviews, and an effective grievance redressal mechanism are essential to sustaining quality healthcare services. She added that patient complaints should be viewed as opportunities for institutional improvement rather than a burden.
She further highlighted that DUHS has integrated training in patient communication, informed consent, artificial intelligence (AI), medical documentation, and interprofessional care into its academic curriculum to prepare future healthcare professionals.
Professor Jehan Ara Hassan said that the journey from a Provisional License to a Regular License was made possible through teamwork, continuous quality improvement, implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), regular audits, and strong quality assurance systems. She added that the hospital has also maintained comprehensive medical records for the past five years.
She said the achievement reflects the collective efforts of the hospital's faculty, physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, administrative staff, and support teams, adding that maintaining these standards is now a shared institutional responsibility.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Shields of Excellence were presented to various departments of Dow University Hospital in recognition of their outstanding performance and contribution to quality healthcare services.
