Health Projects worth Rs 230.638Mln Approved in Pakistan
By Sarah Kamal 'Pakistan Times' Special Correspondent

ISLAMABAD: The Departmental Development Working Party (DDWP) of the Ministry of Health on Wednesday approved seven projects under PSDP allocation of worth Rs. 230.638 million.

The DDWP which met here under the Chairmanship of Secretary Health Khushnood Akhtar Lashari approved these projects include construction of a Female Doctors Hostel at Pakistan Institute of Medical Science (PlMS), Islamabad with the cost of Rs. 39.356 million.

The hostel will have 90 rooms for female doctors, kitchen, pantry, dinning hall, tv/recreation hall and visitors' room.

The DDWP also approved a project for construction of Nursing Hostel at PlMS at a cost of Rs. 38.156 million. The provision of a residential facility to the nurses at the hospital premises would ensure their timely presence and improve efficiency.

The meeting also approved upgradation and construction of School of Nursing attached with Federal Government Services Hospital (FGSH) Islamabad. The project would cost Rs. 39.927 million and would provide improved teaching facilities to trainee nurses and facilitate the Nursing School in improving its academic mandate.

The DDWP also approved the construction of a female doctors hostel at FGSH at a cost of Rs. 39.199 million.

To provide clean environment in Federal Capital and surrounding areas and to prevent spread of infectious diseases, a "Department of Hospital Waste Management" will be established in PlMS at a cost of Rs, 30.970 million.

The proposed department will provide education and training to the hospital staff, develop standard operating procedures, and will be responsible for hospital waste disposal.The facility will also be offered to public and private hospitals on paying nominal charges.

The Committee also approved provision of a 1000 KVA generating set at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Karachi. The project would cost Rs. 26.980 million. The generator would cater to the requirements of the hospital during power breakdown.

To upgrade research and teaching facilities through equipping the laboratories with modern instruments of medical research, DDWP approved purchase of equipment for department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, BMSI, JPMC, Karachi costing Rs.16.050 million.

Most of the projects would be completed within a year. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Planning Commission, and senior officials of the Ministry and its attached departments.●