CM directs authorities to begin revamping DHQs

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed authorities concerned to take necessary steps to ensure physical progress on the revamping of all the non-teaching District Headquarters Hospitals of the province as per the stipulated timelines.

He said the provincial government intends to complete the revamping of these hospitals during the next two years with the aim to ensure the provision of quality healthcare facilities to people of far-flung areas at local level.

He was chairing a meeting to this end at the Chief Minister’s House, said a handout. Secretary Health Imtiaz Hussain Shah, Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Amjad Ali Khan, Secretary Communications and Works Ejaz Hussain Ansari, Director General Health Dr Niaz and other senior officials attended the meeting.

The chief minister also directed the quarters concerned to initiate practical work on the revamping of hospitals included in the first phase of the project as soon as possible and to ensure completion of designing and preparation of tender documents for the rest of the phases by November this year.

It was informed that a project for revamping of all the non- teaching DHQ hospitals of the province had been planned to be executed within the next two years at an estimated cost of Rs14.9 billion, and 25 such DHQ hospitals of the province had been divided into four groups for phase-wise revamping.

On the occasion, the chief minister directed the high-ups of the Health and C&W Department to launch practical work on the hospitals included in the first phase well in time, and to ensure approval of PC-1s, completion of designing and preparation of tender documents for the rest of the phases by November this year.