BAHAWALPUR, July 7: The Bahawal Victoria Hospital completes 100 years of its establishment during which it has provided treatment to an uncountable number of people as a recognised health facility.

Founded on July 6, 1906 during the period of Bahawalpur Nawab (IV), H.H. Bahawal Khan, it was jointly named after him and the British Queen Victoria.

The small yet magnificient building retains its originality and grandeur. It started off with a limited number of beds. The original building structure now serves as the administration block and houses the offices of the medical superintendent and his subordinates.

After integration of Pakistan in 1955 and merger of the defunct Bahawalpur State with the then West Pakistan, the BVH was expanded and several wards were added to it. Later, an operation theatre complex, comprising six well-equipped theatres, was constructed with the financial assistance of the late Dubai amir.

With the establishment of the Quaid-i-Azam Medical College the foundation stone of which was laid by the late Lt-Gen Attiqur Rehman, the Punjab governor, the BVH was granted the status of a teaching hospital having strength of over 1,200 beds. Both BVH and QAMC were given under the administrative control of the latter’s principal.

It is ironic that the momentous event in the institution’s history has slipped by the other day as neither the BVH nor the medical college authorities organised any function. The only thing done was illumination of the main historic building’s portion.

Last year, the hospital administration had drawn up a comprehensive programme for the centenary celebrations and formed various committees to organise doctors’ conferences and functions. But owing to alleged political victimisation of former MS Fazal Mahmood Khan, followed by the suspension of seven doctors, the programme fizzled out and the new administration did not bother to arrange any function.