Govt 'announces' construction of new hospitals across Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The federal government of Pakistan announced the construction of new hospitals across all provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit-Baltistan in the upcoming fiscal budget for 2025-26, ARY News citing sources.

According to sources, the initiative will be funded by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination, ensuring equitable distribution of medical facilities nationwide.

Sources revealed specific regions have been identified for these projects. In AJK, potential sites include the districts of Mirpur and Bhimber. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, new hospitals are planned for Chitral and the merged tribal districts. Sindh’s Tharparkar district will see the establishment of a new hospital, while Balochistan’s Panjgur district is slated for a 500-bed facility.

Additionally, the federal government will construct a specialized cancer hospital in Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, to address critical healthcare needs in the region.

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In a separate development to reduce energy costs and promote sustainability, the federal government decided to solarise hospitals in Islamabad to solar energy.

The transition will take place in phases, with Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital and Poly Clinic being the first to switch to solar power, the sources said. The Ministry of Health requested PIMS and Poly Clinic to submit a solarization plan, which will be included in the upcoming Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

PIMS and Polyclinic Solarisation projects will be incorporated in the next Next PSDP and funds will be allocated for these, enabling the hospitals to adopt renewable energy sources.

PIMS Hospital currently pays over Rs. 30 million per month in electricity bills, while Poly Clinic pays over Rs. 70 lakh per month. The transition to solar energy is expected to result in significant cost savings for the hospitals.