The journey to founding Indus Hospital began long before its establishment in 2007. In 1986, after returning from the U.S., Dr. Akhtar met Dr. Abdul Bari Khan, who shared his dream of creating a hospital that would provide free treatment to those in need. Dr. Akhtar promised to join his mission.
For four and a half years, Dr. Akhtar volunteered as an anesthesiologist in the Cardiac Surgery Department at Liaquat National Hospital, dedicating his time to training anesthesiologists-all free of cost. As Dr. Bari’s vision for the hospital began to take shape, Dr. Akhtar fulfilled his promise and joined him. Although the idea for Indus Hospital had been in the works since 1986, it wasn’t until 2002 that they secured a location. Finally, in 2007, they were able to open Indus Hospital, Korangi Campus, to the public.
“When I joined Indus, there were only four of us, and we were the board and the executive committee. We made all the decisions.”
Dr. Akhtar’s career is marked by his roles as a Consultant and Program Director at Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi, and his work as an anesthesiologist at Indus Hospital. He also gained experience at Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago. Over 14 years with the Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN), he also held key roles across various departments, including purchasing, costing, and billing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he played a critical role liaising with the Government of Sindh, helping bring the District Headquarter Hospital in Badin under IHHN’s management.
As he looks back on his time with IHHN, Dr. Akhtar leaves a final message to all employees: “The time you spend here, spend it with honesty.”
