MIRPUR, Feb 9: A Rs70 million plan to extend free medical treatment to the cardiac, cancer and kidney patients has been drawn up in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, sources said.

They told APP on Sunday that a modern cardiology centre had started functioning here under the auspices of the health department with the financial assistance of a philanthropist, Haji Mohammad Salim.

The centre, the sources said, would provide latest treatment facilities to the heart patients. They said that on completion of first phase of the project, the centre was being run on the pattern of Punjab Institute of Cardiology. Medical wing of the centre has been completed whereas diagnostic and surgical units will be added in the second phase of the project. The centre will also house an intensive coronary care unit, a coronary angiography block and a dialysis centre.

They said Pakistan Medical and Dental Council had approved the centre for training doctors.

Of the doctors being inducted in the centre, two had completed their higher studies in cardiology from the United Kingdom, they said.

The AJK government has contributed Rs15 million for installation of latest equipment in the centre. The government has also decided to make the centre air conditioned and to provide a heavy-duty generator for it.

The sources said the government intended to set up similar centres in other district headquarters of Azad Kashmir with the help of philanthropists.

They said work on projects was under way to extend immediate and latest medical facilities to the people.

Chairman of Jannat Welfare Trust, Azad Kashmir, Chaudhry Mohammad Sabir, has expressed his desire to set up the Al Shifa eye hospital here.

The government is contemplating to provide land for the project.—APP