MULTAN: The provincial government has entrusted the Infrastructure Development Authority of Punjab (IDAP) with the construction of the first phase of 200-bed Dera Ghazi Khan Institute of Cardiology at a cost of Rs1,960 million despite the fact that the Communication & Works (C&W) department had estimated much less cost for the project.

The C&W department had agreed to complete the entire project at a cost of Rs1,250 million.

The documents show that the IDAP has divided the scheme into two phases and prepared the PC-I of the 100-bed facility estimated to cost Rs1,960 million. The authority has estimated Rs3,928.62 million for the entire scheme.

Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had announced during his visit to Dera Ghazi Khan (his hometown) in April last that the health facility would be established. The provincial government allocated Rs1,000 million in 2019-20 while it has been proposed that Rs1,750 million will be released for the project in 2020-21 fiscal budget and Rs1,250 million in 2021-22.

Sources said that earlier the C&W department was asked to prepare the PC-I and the job was done by a team of the Building Sub-Division-II Dera Ghazi Khan. They said the team estimated that the 200-bed three-storey institution would be established at a cost of Rs1,250 million but suddenly the IDAP authorities were asked to prepare the PC-I, who estimated that the institute would be established at a cost of Rs3,928.62 million -- Rs1,960 million to be spent on the first phase.

The institute will have departments’ main reception and waiting areas, emergency, OPD, non-invasive cardiology, pathology laboratories and blood bank, radiology department, administration blocks, OPD, pharmacy, gift shop, cardiology wards, CCU, Pre- Post Angio Ward, Cath- Lab, Doctor’s Lounge and offices, Medical Record Office, Administration Hall, Cardiac Surgery Wards, ICU, OT block, CSSD, Physiotherapy department, private rooms, seminar rooms, library, mortuary, kitchen and cafeteria and prayer rooms. Other areas for necessary support and functional services will also be provided.

According to the PC-I prepared by the authority, the project is going to be established to encourage balanced social, economic and environmental growth across the province which will help achieve sustainable communities by making the undeveloped areas self-sufficient in terms of healthcare.

It stated that the district (DG Khan) shares the boundaries with Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Dera Ismail Khan (KP) and Loralai (Balochistan). It has rich agricultural and hilly area while the district is amongst the most revenue-generating districts both in agriculture and mineral segments. It lacks tertiary care health facilities, especially for cardiac surgeries and invasive cardiology, for a total catchment population of about 2.9 million.

The teaching hospital lacks tertiary care facilities in the cardiology department and in case of any complication, the patients are referred to Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi Institute of Cardiology, Multan, and there has been a growing feeling of neglect in the minds of the population.

“The hospital will help reduce the burden of large influx of patients having to travel to major cities of Punjab for cardiac diseases. It will aid in sustainable and balanced growth across Punjab but providing state of art medical facilities to the underdeveloped areas of South Punjab,” it added.

It stated that the institute would facilitate preventive, rehabilitative and specialist services for efficient cardiac care and the technical parameters of design would cater to primary coronary angioplasty, intensive care and monitoring, infection control, dedicated operation theatres and appropriate inpatient admission facilities.

Muhammad Iqbal Ghallo, SDO Building Sub-Division-II DG Khan, said they were asked to prepare the PC-1 and they did the job. “The government, however, decided to hand over the project to the IDAP at a much higher cost for reasons best known to it,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2019