Holy Family revamp misses deadline

Prolonged closure of Rawalpindi’s largest public medical care facility irks patients

RAWALPINDI:

The deadline of February 15 set by the Punjab caretaker government for the completion of the renovation of the garrison city’s largest Holy Family Hospital has been extended till March 31, 2024.

The medical facility was closed on October 25, 2023, due to the renovation work costing Rs3 billion.

Punjab Health Secretary Ali Jan Khan conveyed the new deadline to the C&W Department during a video link meeting.

In light of this extension, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is now scheduled to inaugurate the project in April. The hospital having 1,052 beds, has been non-operational for four months, leading to an increased patient load at other medical facilities such as Benazir Bhutto General Hospital (BBGU), District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ), and Rawalpindi Institute of Urology and Transplantation (RIUT).

It's noteworthy that the former caretaker chief minister of Punjab, Mohsin Naqvi, had earlier inaugurated the Pediatric and Gynecology Complex in the old block of the hospital on February 2. This newly functional complex has helped alleviate some of the patient burden, a week after its inauguration.

The Medical Superintendent (MS) of Holy Family Hospital, Dr Ijaz Butt, reported the completion of the renovation and revamping project for the old block, which is now designated as the Peads and Gynecology Complex. The project, inaugurated by Mohsin Naqvi, is now fully operational.

Read Holy Family opens after revamp today

Dr Ijaz Butt further explained that the renovation and revamping project for the new block, initially expected to be completed within three weeks, has been extended to ensure 100 per cent completion. Health Secretary Ali Jan Khan directed the C&W Department to meet the new deadline of March 31. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has emphasised the importance of maintaining high-quality standards in the completion of the project.

With Holy Family Hospital set to resume operations, a schedule is being prepared to bring back doctors, nursing staff, and other personnel who were temporarily assigned to other hospitals during the closure. The hospital aims to provide improved facilities and a new look across every ward, department, outpatient department (OPD), and emergency services.

Daily progress reports are being submitted to the competent authority to monitor and track the ongoing work effectively. The reopening of Holy Family Hospital is anticipated to relieve the strain on other medical facilities and enhance healthcare services in the region.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2024.