ISLAMABAD: Decreasing the burden on tertiary care hospitals and ensuring the supply of clean drinking water to residents of the federal capital will be among the priorities of the ‘One Year Action Plan’.

The recently appointed Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has announced plans to unveil his ‘One Year Action Plan’ within a week, to address various issues facing the city.

Dr Chaudhry told Dawn that he has shared the plan with the prime minister verbally, and proposals will be sent to him for final approval as soon as he returns to Pakistan.

“Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) is a tertiary care hospital, and only critically ill patients should be treated at Pims, but there is ‘no refusal’ policy so even people suffering from a routine headache come to the hospital,” he said.

“Although I cannot change the ‘no refusal’ policy, steps will be taken to filter patients and ensure that only critically ill patients come to Pims. Primary and secondary level patients will be filtered [out] by making basic health units (BHUs) functional and by constructing 200 and 300 bed hospitals in different areas of the city,” he said.

“People suffering from general diseases, such as viral infections, typhoid, malaria and others, will be treated in the 200 or 300-bed hospitals, which will work as filter clinics. That is how the load on Pims can be reduced. Moreover, gray areas at Pims will also be removed to ensure quality treatment there,” he said.

When asked about the leakages in water supply lines in the city, Mr Chaudhry said he was aware that the 40-year-old water supply lines have been leaking and that sewage is mixing with the supply lines.

“It requires a lot of resources to change water supply lines, so the prime minister will be requested to intervene and address the water supply issue. I have also given him a presentation about water scarcity in the capital. I hope water for Islamabad will be sourced from a dam soon,” he said.

He claimed that residents would see changes in hospitals, educational institutions and functions of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) within a few months.

In an official statement issued on Sunday, the minister said that his action plan envisages Islamabad as a model city. Under the plan, the provision of basic needs – such as education, health and employment – will be ensured.

It states that Islamabad’s rural outskirts will also be provided roads, electricity, gas and sewerage systems.

The minister stated that with the growing population in mind, the plan will prioritise access to affordable housing. Moreover, the removal of encroachments on public land and the resolution of grievances of Model Village residents will also be prioritised.

A helpline will also be launched to incorporate suggestions from city residents, he said.

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2015