Rawalpindi health projects in doldrums
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in a meeting with MNAs and MPAs of Rawalpindi city had earlier approved construction of a campus for Rawalpindi Medical College, a separate urology institute, a burn centre at Holy Family Hospital (HFH), a cardiac institute and a children’s ward at District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ).
PML-N Member National Assembly (MNA) Malik Shakeel Awan told The Express Tribune that health projects could not be completed on time due to shortage of funds. “It was the responsibility of the federal government to release funds to the provinces,” he said.
He said that work would resume as soon as the CM approved projects like the construction of a campus for RMC on a piece of land measuring nearly 500 acres along Adyala Road. Construction of a 250-bed separate cardiac institute on a piece of land measuring 44 kanals along Rawal Road has already been approved.
Recently the inauguration ceremony was held of a separate urology institute at HFH, Shakeel Awan said, “Punjab government has also geared up construction work on the TB hospital, along with a 400 bed general hospital initiated by former MNA Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad at Asghar Mall Road,” he said.
He further said that a urology institute would also be established in Dhoke Elahi Buksh on a place presently acquired by a veterinary hospital. He said that an approved children ward, which had been facing the problem of shortage of space, would be established at District Headquarters Hospital.
He revealed that the CM had directed concerned departments to take necessary steps to hand over a piece of land presently acquired by the Rose Cinema to DHQ Hospital for establishment of children’s ward there. The matter of handing over Rose Cinema land to the hospital is pending before the Punjab Board of Revenue at present.
Dr Khalid Iqbal Malik of DHQ said the gynaecology ward of the DHQ Hospital has also been facing acute shortage of space for quite some time and the hospital has no other option but to keep two to three women patients both with antenatal (before giving birth to babies) and postnatal complications on a single bed. Chances of infection from one patient to another cannot be ruled out here.
He said the hospital that was established in 1981 has no paediatrics, orthopaedic and urology wards. “If Rose Cinema land is given to us, we will establish an orthopaedic ward, urology ward and extension of existing gynaecology ward there,” he promised.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 16th, 2010.
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