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ISLAMABAD: The PML-N government has decided to set up 46 hospitals across the country after facing criticism by political opponents for giving priority to metro buses and motorways over health and education.
The federal government, on the directives of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, had written letters to chief secretaries of the four provinces, Islamabad Capital Territory Administration, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan administrations to allocate land for proposed hospitals.
All 46 hospitals would be fully funded by the federal government and designed by international consultants having state-of-the-art facilities with prime minister’s directives to complete these before the end of the present government’s tenure.
The prime minster stated: “We are simultaneously targeting poverty and diseases in the country as poverty and diseases make deadly combination in any household.”
The proposed cities in Punjab for 500-bed hospitals are Rajanpur, Jhang, Bhakkar, Sadiqabad and Rawalpindi, while 250-bed hospitals would be constructed in Burewala, Ahmedpur East, Kot Addu, Taunsa, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Pasroor and Layyah.
In Sindh 500-bed hospitals are planned in Jacobabad, Mirpurkhas and Badin and 250-bed hospitals in Islamkot, Naushahro Feroze and Meher districts.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 500-bed hospitals would be constructed in Haripur and Charsadda and 250-bed hospitals in Batgram, Hangu and Chitral. A 250-bed hospital will also be set up in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
Besides, 100-bed hospitals would be constructed in Garhi Habibullah and Kaghan.
In Balochistan, 100-bed hospitals would be established in Hub, Nushki, Chaman and Punjgur, 250-bed in Khuzdar, Loralai and Sibi and a 500-bed hospital in Quetta.
Furthermore, 250-bed hospitals would be established in Skardu and Gilgit; 100-bed in Karimabad (Hunza) and a 50-bed hospital in Ghanche, Gilgit-Baltistan.
In AJK, 250-bed hospitals would be constructed in Muzaffarabad, 100-bed in Rawlakot, Kotli and Athmuqam and a 50-bed hospital in Leepa.
Three hospitals would be constructed in Islamabad.
These hospitals on completion would add to the already 13,400-bed hospital system across the country.
The hospitals would be run on best management model with minimum control of the government and best service delivery.
Districts for proposed hospitals had been selected keeping in view the Poverty Index and availability of health infrastructure.
The three hospitals in the federal capital will lessen the burden on the Federal Government Services Hospital, Polyclinic and Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences.
Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2016
