Seven hospitals to be built in medical city

Potential for private sector's role in development schemes reviewed

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved plans to build an Institute of Surgical, Orthopaedic and Medical Rehabilitation and Children's Hospital-IV under the Nawaz Sharif Medical District project.

Chairing a meeting, the chief minister also approved the construction of a Plastic Reconstructive Surgery and Burn Centre, an Institute of Genetic and Blood Diseases, a Centre of Excellence for Nursing and Midwifery, an Institute of Ophthalmology and an Infectious Diseases Hospital in the medical city.

Under the plan, seven major hospitals with a total capacity of 1,519 beds will be developed in phases.

The potential for public-private partnerships (PPP) in 110 proposed development projects across Punjab was reviewed in the meeting.

According to a statement, the chief minister expressed satisfaction over the Punjab Public-Private Partnership Authority becoming fully operational after 19 years.

A proposal to establish student hostels under the PPP model for the first time in the province was also discussed.

Projects relating to roads, truck and bus stands, model bazaars and food streets were also reviewed.

The participants were informed that four projects under the framework had become operational, while feasibility studies for 27 schemes had been completed and work on more was progressing.

Officials highlighted that four major chief minister's initiatives were included in the PPP plan: a vaccine production plant in the medical district, the Lahore Time Travel Park, shrimp farming and Chiniot mines-to-metal project.

The CM stressed that the objective of the model was to promote private-sector participation in development and completion of projects envisaged under the framework would be ensured.