Healthcare for all: New hospitals to ease Allied Hospital’s burden, says Sanaullah

Law minister inaugurates new Children Ward at the Allied Hospital

FAISALABAD:

The government is building four new hospitals in Faisalabad city to take pressure off Allied Hospital, Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said at the inauguration of a new Children Ward at the hospital on Monday.

A 250-bed Government General Hospital had already been built in Ghulam Muhammabad, 200 additional beds would be added to the 50-bed Government General Hospital in Samanabad, and a 250-bed General Hospital was being built in Haseeb Shaheed Colony as part of this plan, he said.

Sanaullah said the government had set up four new medical colleges in the province and vacancies for doctors and paramedics were being filled on priority.

He said the government was committed to providing advanced medical facilities to patients in public hospitals. Billions of rupees was being spent on procuring advanced medical machines and equipment at public hospitals. New hospitals are being built to provide health services to patients at their doorstep.

He said a Children Hospital was being completed in Faisalabad. It’s outdoor and emergency facilities had been opened for patients.

Sanaullah said tehsil headquarters hospitals and basic health units have been upgraded so that people in rural areas could be provided the best possible health facilities.

The 60-bed paediatric nursery and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Allied Hospital have been completed at a cost of Rs50 million with help from philanthropists.

A press statement issued by the hospital said that new facilities would help the hospital provide the best possible medical treatment to infants. The NICU has been equipped with ventilators, incubators and other necessary medical equipment.

The minister went around the NICU and appreciated the efforts of Allied Hospital’s management for establishing of the unit. The unit would cater to premature infants and those suffering from dangerous diseases.

Allied Hospital Board of Management Chairperson Begum Najma Afzal, industrialist Seth Iftikhar Ahmad and other members were also present at the occasion.

Punjab Medical College Principal Sardar Muhammad Al Fareed Zafar said construction of the unit had been completed within a year thanks to donations from local philanthropists. He said the NICU had a nursery, a ventilator section, an emergency reception and treatment portion, a feeding portion, waiting areas for mothers, a kitchen and wash rooms.

He said the previous ICU in the Paediatric Ward had 18 beds which were insufficient. The NICU project was built keeping in view the number of infants brought to the hospital. He said on average, 110 babies were under treatment at the Paediatric Ward at any given time and there were no waiting areas for mothers.

He said facilities at the NICU would benefit not only residents of Faisalabad but also of adjoining districts.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th,  2015.