New hospital promised, again


Rustam Ejaz May 16, 2010

ISLAMABAD: The district administration has decided to build Islamabad General Hospital to provide medical facilities to the residents of rural areas of the capital.

The hospital will be set up in the Tarlai district, with 200 beds, modern labs, an operation theatre and a gynaecology ward. A colony will be constructed for hospital staff as well. The project will be carried out in two phases. After completion of the first phase, 200 beds will be available for service. This number will be increased to 500 by the end of the second phase.

Funds for this project will be allocated under the Public Sector Development Programme in the next financial budget of 2010-11 and will be set up along the lines of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims). This hospital will reduce the burden of patients on Pims and Poly Clinic. At present, Pims receives almost 4,000 patients in its OPD daily. Imtiaz Ali, a resident of Turlai complained that this was not the first time such plans had been declared.

After 2007, district administration made the same announcements on four separate occasions. “As this is the fifth time the administration has announced such a project, let’s hope that they finally deliver,” Imtiaz added. About 800, 000 people who live in the 12 union councils of the rural areas of Islamabad, do not have a hospital for themselves. The 14 health units they do have are deteriorating in service and losing their utility. “These health units have lost their utility because of a lack of staff, medicines and the dilapidated condition of buildings,” said Asif, a resident of the area.

Published in the Express Tribune, May 16th, 2010.

COMMENTS (1)

Nadir El Edroos | 13 years ago | Reply The government would rather spend Rs. 1.2 billion making a Citizens Club rather than making a much needed hospital.
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