Rural areas await hospital

ICT, CDA land dispute further delays project.

ISLAMABAD: Yet another year ended, but the Islamabad General Hospital in rural areas is still pending launch. One reason for this delay is land dispute between Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Islamabad Capital Territory(ICT).

Back in 2007, the ICT administration announced to build a hospital in Union Council Tarlai on 100 kanals of land.

The estimated budget of this project was over Rs1 billion and it would have been completed within 2 years. The hospital was to have 200 beds including state-of-the-art laboratories and operation theatres.

However, CDA had already auctioned four kanals of that land for a petrol pump, with planning underway for further auctioning as well.

Chief Commissioner Islamabad Tariq Pirzada said that the land had been transferred by CDA to ICT and the Agriculture Department was using it for years. The administration had also established a functional Basic Health Unit (BHU) for the residents.

Pirzada added that in 2007, the administration decided to establish the hospital with the approval of the federal government. He said CDA has no records of owning the land, however the administration does, which proves that it is owned by ICT. When contacted, CDA Director Land and DG Planning did not comment on the matter.

On the other hand, the health situation in rural areas is in bad shape as the concerned administration has only established 14 BHUs and three Rural Health Centres. Out of them, seven BHUs are in dilapidated condition. One BHU located in UC Koral even lacks electricity.

In the absence of major hospitals in the rural areas, as many as 70-80 percent residents have to commute to Pims, Polyclinic, or CDA hospital for treatment.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 3^rd, 2011.