HYDERABAD, Feb 17: Sindh Planning and Development Minister Syed Shoaib Bukhari has directed the authorities concerned to complete construction work of the urology dialysis centre at Bhitai Hospital , in Latifabad by the end of November so that it can be made functional by the end of the year.

He was speaking at a meeting held at the circuit house here on Thursday to review the progress of work on the urology centre. The minister said the estimated cost of Rs27.845 million of the project would be incresed to about Rs30 million to include items identified by experts to provide better facilities to patients.

He said the government planned to establish more such centres in the province and run the centres under the public-private partnership to provide better medical facilities to people in their areas.

He said an agreement had been signed with the Anjuman Falah-o-Behbood-i-Insaniat under which the Sindh government would provide a building, well-trained medical and paramedical staff and shoulder charges of electricity and water supply at the Bhitai Hospital urology centre.

The NGO would operate the centre and provide services to patients free of cost, he added. He said the NGO was supposed to open its branch in Hyderabad not only to manage the centre's activities but also to collect funds from area philanthropists.

He said eight dialysis machines would be installed at the centre, four of which would be provided by the government and four by the NGO. He added that more machines, if needed, would also be provided to the centre either by the government or the partner organization.

Earlier, the minister accompanied, by DCO Mohammad Hussain Syed, health EDO Nazar Mohammad Junejo, office-bearers of the NGO, Mohammad Shafiq Ahmad Nakshbandi, Mirza Manzoor Ahmad Baig, Mr Abdul Latif and Ishtiaq Ahmad, inspected the work of the urology centre.

He directed authorities concerned to provide a lift at the centre to shift patients to upper storeys. He said a provision for separating patients infected with hepatitis-B, C and HIV should also be made in the centre.

Endorsing a recommendation of experts, the minister also directed setting up of a reverse osmosis plant at the centre. He said a revised PC-I should be sent to him in case of any alteration or addition to the project.

AUTONOMY DEMANDED: The Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party has criticized any army operation in Balochistan and demanded that all federating units should be given full provincial autonomy.

At a central committee meeting on Wednesday, it demanded that all contentious issues should be resolved through negotiations. The chairman of the party, Dr Qadir Magsi, presided over the meeting.

The meeting opposed construction of cantonments in Balochistan and demanded that army and paramilitary forces should be withdrawn from the province. It demanded that work on the greater Thal canal should immediately be stopped. The meeting decided to take full part in Ponam's protest rallies to be held in Karachi, Dadu, Larkana and Sukkur.

JUI-S: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Samiul Haq group) has announced that the party will take full part in the next local bodies elections. In a statement issued here on Thursday, the central council member of the party, Mr Hifzur Rehman Shams, said that so far the party had not taken any decision to contest local bodies' elections from the MMA's platform.