May 29, 2007	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 12, 1428

ISLAMABAD, May 28: More than Rs13 billion is expected to be earmarked for development of the health sector in the federal budget for 2007-08, a record 22 per cent increase in a year.

In the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2007-08, Rs11.9 billion will be met from domestic resources while Rs1.5 billion will be foreign assistance.

Sources told Dawn that no money was expected to be set aside in the budget for the Medical Tower of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), but Rs500 million had been allocated for Medical Tower to be built at the Jinnah Post-graduate Medical Centre, Karachi.

They said that an expected Rs13,531 million was likely for 76 health projects in the next financial year. Foreign assistance will be accepted in 9 projects.

Of the total schemes, eight were new projects and were likely to cost Rs702 million. An amount of Rs10 million was expected to be allocated for the construction of the waiting area in Pims in Islamabad, Rs50 million for construction of five dispensaries in Islamabad, Rs10 million for construction of 400-bed Fatima Jinnah Block in the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Lahore, Rs80 million for setting up of two trauma centres at the Bhera service area of the Lahore Motorway and the Chakri Interchange near Rawalpindi and Rs50 million for construction of a building for the Gomal Medical College in Dera Ismail Khan

Similarly, Rs925 million was expected to be earmarked for 14 other schemes.

Another Rs500 million is likely to be spent on a 400-bed women’s hospital and a chest disease centre in Rawalpindi, Rs55 million for a processing lab in the National Institute of Health in Islamabad, Rs10 million for setting up an ENT facility at the JPMC, Rs18 million for a neurosurgery institute at the JPMC in Karachi, Rs50 million for cardiac surgery facilities at Pims, Islamabad, Rs26 million for bio-safety level 3 at the NIH in Islamabad, Rs25 million for gastroenterology unit at the NICH in Karachi, Rs20 million for a pulmonology unit in NICH, Rs100 million for a district headquarters hospital in Mandi Bahauddin on sharing basis, Rs10 million for a trauma centre at Hasanabdal, Rs50 million for Peshawar Institute of Cardiology and Rs50 million for a 50-bed hospital in Kohlu district.

About Rs936 million is expected to be allocated for upgradation and extension of 13 health projects. Of the total, Rs216 million would be spent for upgrading the National Institute of Heart Diseases in Rawalpindi, Rs6 million for upgradation of various facilities in NIH, Rs110 million for upgrading the HDC building in NIH, Rs10 million for upgradation of nursing hostels and residences at Pims, Rs17 million for upgradation and renovation of the FGSH, Rs22 million for extension and upgradation of the National Poison Control Centre at the JPMC, Rs22 million for upgradation of radiology department at the JPMC, Rs1 million for replacement and purchase of equipment for department of pharmacology and therapeutic, BMSI, JPMC; Rs458 million for replacement and purchase of equipment at NICVD in Karachi, Rs19 million for upgradation of NICH’s pathology department, Rs2 million for upgradation of the federal government dispensary at the MCH centre Karachi and Rs50 million for upgradation of the Saidu Group of Hospitals in Swat, NWFP.

Six other schemes are likely to be launched to strengthen various health facilities at a cost of Rs2,034 million.

About Rs6,991 million is expected to be earmarked for 12 different national health schemes in the next budget. An amount of Rs4,892 million is expected to be allocated for national programmes for family planning and primary healthcare.