25 June 2004	Friday	06 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

KARACHI, June 24: Under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for 2004-05, Rs1,012 million has been set aside for health.

Six hundred million rupees will be distributed and utilized at the provincial level and another Rs412 million at the tier of districts, according to the budget documents.

At the provincial level new schemes worth Rs100 million would be launched under the PSDP. At this tier the ongoing schemes have been provided Rs500 million under the programme.

Karachi has been given more than Rs33 million for new schemes which will be taken up at the provincial level. Another Rs16 million has been earmarked for new schemes which will be launched through the city government.

The two institutions in Karachi which have been given considerable amounts are the civil hospital and the Dow University of Health Sciences. These projects will be handled by the provincial health department.

Under the PSDP, new projects would be launched in the teaching hospitals, other hospitals and also in the shape of nutrition and preventive initiatives. Funds have also been provided to the ongoing schemes in these areas.

The project for which the highest amount has been earmarked at the provincial level is the purchase and installation of lithotripsy equipment for the People's Medical College Hospital, Nawabshah, Civil Hospital Sukkur and Civil Hospital Mirpurkhas. A total of Rs27 million has been set aside for this purpose.

Two million rupees have been set aside for the upgradation of the accident/emergency ward of the civil hospital. Similarly, Rs4 million has been earmarked for the purchase of a laundry plant for this hospital.

Funds for the purchase of an MRI machine, CT scanner and ICU monitors have also been allowed. All these projects will be taken up at the provincial tier. For the purpose of improving and upgrading the cardiology department in the Lyari General Hospital, Karachi, a total of Rs4 million has been earmarked under the programme.

To expand and improve the People's Medical College Hospital, Nawabshah, Rs2 million has been approved. For the expansion and improvement of services at the Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad, a total of Rs6 million has been allowed.

With this amount the drainage system of the hospital would be replaced, an MRI machine would be installed, and a bed lift would be installed. These projects will be launched and monitored at the provincial level.

Two million rupees have been provided under the programme to the Chandka Medical College Hospital, Larkana. An institute of child health would be set up with this amount. A CT scanner and an MRI machine are also proposed to be procured.

In the other hospitals category, Rs1 million is proposed to be provided to the Institute of Chest Diseases, Kotri, for the replacement of the existing water supply system. The building housing the facility is also proposed to be renovated at a cost of Rs2 million.

The Sindh Government Bebhani Hospital, Malir, is proposed to be expanded and upgraded with the Rs2 million that has been set aside for the purpose. The Taluka Hospital Gambat is proposed to be improved at a cost of Rs4 million under the programme.

Funds have also been allocated for the Institute of Skin Diseases, Karachi, and the Services Hospital, Karachi. These projects pertain to the provincial tier. On the medical education side, a total of Rs9 million has been provided to the Dow University of Health Sciences.

Under the PSDP, the university's faculty library and its administration building is proposed to be renovated, a nursing hostel is to be built, a 100KVA electrical generator is to be installed and several departments are either going to be built or renovated.

Amounts have also been set aside at the provincial level for the CJ Institute of Psychiatry, Hyderabad, and People's Medical College Hospital, Nawabshah.

The new preventive programmes that have been mentioned in the PSDP documents are: strengthening of health education programme (Rs4 million); fighting cataract (PCO) blindness programme (Rs6 million); establishment of rehabilitation centres for drug users (Rs1 million); and, control of acute respiratory infections (Rs2.5 million). A new nutrition initiative is also going to be opened at a cost of Rs2 million which will be launched and monitored by the health department.