LAHORE, Nov 15: Governor Khalid Maqbool has announced the release of around Rs150 million to the Institute of Child Health and Children’s Hospital for the construction of in-patient block, a parents’ inn, and purchase of equipment and medicines.

The governor gave approval for the funds during a briefing by hospital project director Prof Dr Saeedul Haq on Friday.

Governor Maqbool also inaugurated the model pharmacy set up in the hospital and laid the foundation stone for the construction of nursing hostel.

The governor announced Rs100 million for the construction of 650-bed in-patient block, operation theatres and a building to install incinerator. A grant of Rs20 million, in addition to the Rs9 million annual grant, was approved for the purchase of medicine to provide free of cost to the poor patients.

Responding to a demand of Rs130 million for the purchase of equipment, he announced Rs20 million grant saying that the hospital should prioritize the purchase of equipment. More funds would be given after the grant was consumed, he added.

The governor released Rs9.8 million for the construction of a parents’ inn in the hospital.

He also allowed doctors to start institutional practice.

He also approved hospital management’s proposal that the School of Allied Health Sciences would be run on self-finance basis and the income would be spent for the improvement of school facilities. He also allowed the school to collect donations from philanthropists.

He, however, said the school should formally devise a system to spend the donations and an audit should be conducted of the donations received and spent.

Governor Maqbool also agreed to the proposal that patients admitted to other hospitals should also be provided free diagnostic facilities at the Children’s Hospital.

About the encroachment of hospital land by the Christian graveyard, he said: “We respect the graves and these will be covered. But we will not allow any further encroachment on the hospital land.”

He asked the DCO to provide alternative space for Christian’s graveyard.

In order to share the burden of the project, teaching and research and administrative matters, he approved to create the posts of a dean and a medical superintendent.

Later, addressing the hospital staff, he said the government was working to streamline the health system by expanding the role of vaccinators and lady health workers in the rural areas and teaching hospitals.

He said the government also created the University of Health Sciences to improve the medical education and treatment facilities.

Prof Haq and Prof Mahmood Shaukat also spoke on the occasion.