Child health: Rs150m released for decade-old hospital project

FAISALABAD:

The Punjab government has issued Rs150 million for the completion of Children Hospital in Faisalabad, DCO Noorul Amin Mengal said on Wednesday.

The project was initiated by former chief minister Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi in 2005.  In March 2013, land was allocated for the project at Jhang Road. The chief minister inaugurated the project a few weeks before the general elections.  No funds were released at the time. The 1,000-bed facility was to be completed at cost of Rs3 billion at the time it was announced. Currently, children suffering from serious illnesses are referred to Children Hospital in Lahore. Mengal told The Express Tribune that out of the recently-released funds, Rs50 million will be spent on construction work. He said machinery and equipment would be purchased for Rs10 million. “The government has directed the district administration to use these funds before June 30.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th, 2015.