Holy Family’s revamp delayed yet again

Pindi’s largest health facility remains closed with patients eagerly awaiting its reopening

RAWALPINDI:

The Holy Family Hospital (HFH) renovation and upgradation project, worth Rs3 billion, remains incomplete despite the passage of seven months. The project has missed six deadlines and now the new deadline has been set for June 30.
The caretaker government of Punjab launched the Rs3 billion project to renovate and upgrade the 1,052-bed Holy Family Hospital, prompting the hospital’s complete closure to patients seven months ago. Despite setting six deadlines, the renovation work remains incomplete, and the hospital remains non-functional.
On May 22, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz made a surprise visit to the hospital and directed the officials concerned to complete the renovation work by May 30. However, the task remained incomplete.
Later, on June 4, Provincial Minister Khawaja Salman Rafiq visited the hospital and set a new deadline of June 10, but the hospital is still non-functional.
The C&W Department has now announced that 97% of the hospital’s renovation and upgradation work is complete and has set a new deadline of June 30 to finally make the hospital functional.
On Tuesday, nursing and support staff at Holy Family Hospital staged a protest against the transfer of 194 temporary and permanent employees to Samli Sanatorium Tuberculosis (TB) Hospital in Murree, which is not yet functional. The protesters marched to the residence and hospital of local MNA Hanif Abbasi, voicing their opposition to the transfers. In response, Abbasi assured the protesters that the transfer orders would be withdrawn, effectively ending the protest.
Instead of making new appointments to staff Samli Sanatorium TB Hospital in Murree, the Punjab government controversially ordered the transfer of 194 daily-wage and permanent employees, including nursing and support staff, from Holy Family Hospital to Samli Sanatorium TB Hospital, sparking protests and outrage.
The affected employees staged a protest outside the residence of PML-N MNA Hanif Abbasi, demanding the withdrawal of their transfer orders. In response, Abbasi visited Holy Family Hospital and met with the protesters, assuring them that their transfer orders would be revoked. He emphasised that Holy Family Hospital cannot operate without these employees and promised to take up the matter with Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Health Minister Salman Rafique.
On the occasion, the nursing staff revealed that out of 107 nursing staff positions at Holy Family Hospital, 73 are currently vacant. They argued that the transfer orders were made without rationale.
Medical Superintendent (MS) of Holy Family Hospital, Dr Ijaz Butt, said that the hospital cannot operate without the affected employees.
Meanwhile, Dr Muhammad Umar, Vice Chancellor of Rawalpindi Medical University, has intervened by contacting the Secretary of Health Punjab to request the withdrawal of the transfer orders, offering hope for a resolution to the impasse.