Lahore: Govt allocates Rs 2bn to upgrade city’s hospitals

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Nauman Tasleem
LAHORE: The Punjab government has allocated Rs 2 billion to upgrade the hospitals in the city in the budget for the financial year 2009-10.

The hospitals will get these funds to construct new blocks and buildings, and to purchase new equipment. The government will also upgrade existing facilities in the hospitals. The government has allocated this amount in the Annual Development Programme (ADP). The hospitals will be upgraded to facilitate the public.

As part of these allocations, the Lahore General Hospital will get Rs 376 million, the Services Hospital Rs 373 million, Jinnah Hospital Rs 366 million and Mayo Hospital will get Rs 333 million.

General Hospital: The government will spend Rs 140 million for the implementation of the Master Plan. The building of urology, gynaecology and orthopaedic departments will be constructed and medical equipment and furniture will be purchased with the amount. Physiotherapy and neuro-radiology department will get Rs 98.21 million to purchase equipment. The Forensic department will be upgraded, and a mortuary will be built at a cost of Rs 54.59 million.

Services Hospital: The government will establish the Services Institute of Medical Sciences for Rs 269.62 million. The major components of the project are the construction of an academic block, boys and girls’ hostels and the purchase of equipment and furniture. Rs 50 million will be spent on the construction of the OPD block, Rs 30 million on upgrading the radiology/ specialties department and Rs 13 million will be spent on research in surgical and medical skills.

Jinnah Hospital: The government will construct the hospital’s fourth storey at a cost of Rs 60.387 million, while the neurosurgery department will be upgraded, and a head injury unit will be built at a cost of Rs 51.25 million. A forensic department and mortuary will be constructed at a cost of Rs 50.42 million. A laparoscopic surgery centre will be constructed for Rs 54.5 million.

Mayo Hospital: A surgical tower with a cost of Rs 70 million will be constructed at the hospital. In the tower, eight private wards, 50 private rooms, a 120-bed ICU and 16 operation theatres will be built. In the current fiscal year, the third floor of the hospital would be built, while the project will be completed by 2011. Around Rs 16.4 million will be spent on the urology department, while a children’s medical specialties block will be constructed at a cost of Rs 41 million. The government will spend Rs 78.24 million to renovate the institute of ophthalmology. Rs 29.39 million will be spent on upgrading the plastic surgery department.

Ganga Ram Hospital: The water supply and sewerage system of the hospital will be upgraded at a cost of Rs 32.9 million, and Rs 25 million will be spent on the renovation of the old building. Rs 33.5 million will be spent to upgrade the existing CT Scan and MRI.

Punjab Institute of Cardiology: Five operation theatres will be built, while equipment will be purchased for the new 10-bed ICU at a cost of Rs 30 million. A new OPD block will be constructed for Rs 25 million. Two angiography machines will be purchased at a cost of Rs 80 million.

The Children Hospital will get Rs 66.8 million, Lady Aitchison Hospital will get Rs 78.74 million and Lady Wellingdon will get Rs 20 million for different development schemes.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg13_1