Daily Times

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, with the assistance of Korean government, on Monday approved establishment of a 200-beded children hospital in Sukkur at a cost of $57.274 million.

He also approved reconstruction of Chandka Medical College (CMC) Hospital Larkana and DHQ Sujawal for which Korean government committed to provide a $300 million soft loan.

This decision was made in a meeting held between Sindh government led by the chief minister and Korean Exim Bank delegation headed by DG Exim Bank UM Sung Young, Senior Officer, Koh Myungseong and Administrative Secretary Saud Hussain Kahlon. The chief minister was assisted by Minister Health Dr Azra Pechuho, Chairperson P&D Ms Nahid Shah, Secretary Finance Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Education Ahsan Mangi, Secretary Health Zahid Memon and Special Secretary Health Dr Dabir.

The Sindh government has approved a scheme of establishment of Children Health Care Institute Sukkur. The scheme was approved by CDWP and ECNEC in 2015 and then the project was halted for want of funds. The Sindh government negotiated with Korean government which has provided a soft loan of $46 million and the provincial government has allocated Rs 162.792 million. In this way the total cost of the project would be around Rs 5 billion, if it is made in Pak rupees.

Murad Ali Shah gives go-ahead to $57.274 million project, to be built on 27 acres near Airport Road Sukkur

The hospital would be established over an area of 27 acre at Airport Road Sukkur. There would be a Neonatal Care Unit (NCU), Emergency Blood Transfusion Unit, Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Paediatric Surgeries and OT department, efficient Patient Transportation System, Blood transfusion unit, enhancement of paediatric special medical services, special OPD for ophthalmology and ENT.

Minister Health Dr Azra Pechuho told the chief minister that bidding document for hiring of contractor was completed. She added that the contractor would be hired very soon to start work and the work would be completed by the end of 2021.

CM Murad Ali Shah said that the Chandka Medical College Hospital Larkana is housed in an old building, therefore he wanted to reconstruct the hospital building. He added that the newly created district of Sujawal has a need of District Headquarter Hospital which he also wanted to construct. He requested the Korean authorities to extend a $254 million loan so that these both hospitals could be established.

The Korean delegation said that their government has already approved $300 million against which they were allocating $46 million for Children hospital Sukkur and the reaming amount of $254 million could be given to CMC Hospital Larkana and Sukkur.

The chief minister directed health department to submit necessary papers with Korean Bank so that the soft loan could be released at the earliest.