Public health: Kidney, liver institute to be built in City, says Shahbaz

CM unhappy with progress on Taunsa hydropower project.

LAHORE:

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday a modern Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute and Research Centre would be constructed at the Knowledge Park.

He was chairing a meeting to discuss the project feasibility. He said the institute would provide state-of-the-art treatment to the kidney and liver patients.

He said the 750-bed institute would be built on 50 acres. He said the medical staff of the institute would be sent abroad for training.

Shahbaz Sharif ordered speedy completion of the institute. “No compromise will be made on the quality of construction,” he said.

He said link roads around the institute should be built quickly. He said a steering committee, headed by Adviser on Health Khwaja Salman Rafiq, would review the progress on the project.

Earlier, Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute Board of Governors president Saeed Akhtar briefed the chief minister about the project.

He said the institute would house a research lab, a conference centre and a library. He said the hospital would later have 1,500 beds.

Taunsa hydropower project

Sharif reprimanded the officers concerned for poor progress on the Taunsa Hydropower project.

“Those who have failed to take timely steps to complete the project apparently do not realise the problems people face,” he told a meeting.

Sharif said inefficient officials had no right to their job. He directed the National Engineering Services Pakistan (Nespak) to immediately take steps to complete the project.

He ordered that a committee be formed to monitor progress on various energy projects. He said he would oversee the committee and chair its meetings every week.

Punjab Power Development Company Chairman Arif Saeed, the Planning and Development Board chairman, the additional chief secretary (energy) and the Nespak managing director attended the meeting.

Energy crisis

The chief minister said the government was committed to overcoming energy crisis. He was speaking to a German delegation led by George Pachta.

He said special incentives were being given to those investing in the country’s energy sector. He said the government was working on generating energy through alternative resources. He said a 100-megawatt solar power project at the Quaid-i-Azam Solar Park was near completion.

Sharif said the government also planned to produce electricity through liquefied natural gas. He said Pakistan wanted to benefit from Germany’s expertise in energy sector.

Separately, Sharif ordered that CNG stations be opened immediately to provide relief to people suffering from petrol shortages.

He directed the district administration to coordinate with the authorities concerned and open the fuel stations.

The chief minister said that availability of CNG would help mitigate citizens’ problems.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2015.