Health dept ordered to complete 141 projects

Karachi: Sindh’s chief minister on Monday directed the health department to ensure that their 141 projects worth Rs13.5 billion are completed as soon as possible so that healthcare facilities can start functioning in every part of the province.

“The Covid-19 situation has created financial constraints, despite the fact that the government has given priority to the health sector so that the ongoing projects can be completed in the larger interest of the people of the province,” said Syed Murad Ali Shah. Shah chaired a meeting at the CM House to review the progress of the health department’s projects, during which he was told that Rs93.27 billion was allocated for 192 projects, and Rs32.89 billion had been used by June last year, so the throw-forward was Rs60.38 billion. The chief executive was told that work on 141 of the 192 projects was under way, for which Rs23.5 billion had been allocated in the current financial year, of which Rs4.57 billion had been released, of which Rs1.65 billion had been used. He was told that budget allocation for the 141 projects in 2020-21 was Rs13.5 billion, of which Rs4.57 billion had been released, of which Rs1.65 billion had been used. Since the CM accorded priority to completing the current projects, no funds were released for the remaining 51 projects. The officials informed Shah that 72 of the current projects are likely to be completed by the end of the current financial year. The projects include setting up a thalassaemia day care centre in Larkana’s Dargah Jaral Shah for Rs21.99 million, a rural health centre (RHC) in Naushehroferoze’s Karejha Chandio village for Rs65.83 million, a child healthcare institute in Sukkur and others.