RAWALPINDI: Besides emergency ward, department of dermatology and paediatric emergency intensive care unit (ICU) became operational at Benazir Bhutto Hospital on Tuesday.

Though new emergency department building was inaugurated in 2015, the machinery and beds arrived this year.

The other two departments were the part of the annual development programme of the Punjab government as it plans to turn BBH into a model hospital.

Rawalpindi Medical College (RMC) Board of Governors Chairman Dr Mohammad Aslam, former MNA Hanif Abbasi and RMC Principal and Allied Hospital Chief Executive Officer Prof. Dr Mohammad Umer inaugurated the new departments.

Talking to Dawn, Rawalpindi Medical College (RMC) Board of Governor Chairman Dr Muhammad Aslam said the Punjab government had provided Rs900 million for establishing new departments and improving the healthcare services at BBH.

“As many as 15 incubators and 10 ventilators had been procured and installed at new paediatric ICU.

Replying to a question about the strike of YDA, Dr Mohammad Aslam said: “As the government has provided modern equipments and facilities at the government hospitals, the doctors should shun the politics and dedicate themselves to providing healthcare facilities to the ailing people.”

Addressing the inauguration ceremony, former MNA Hanif Abbasi said the Punjab government had provided more than one billion rupees for completion of health projects in BBH.

He said state of the art health delivery system including latest electro medical equipments had been introduced at the allied hospitals of Rawalpindi.

He also lauded the efforts and cooperation of RMC Board of Governors Chairman Dr Mohammad Aslam for generating financial resources to extend maximum facilities to the patients and their attendants in local teaching hospitals.

He appreciated the interest of Prof. Dr Mohammad Umer and officers of Provincial Building Department in completing the development schemes in health sector.

He stated that work on Rawalpindi Institute of Urology had been accelerated and all resources were being mobilized to complete this 400-bed unique hospital in the region by the end of this year.

He said that special focus would also be laid on the upgradation of DHQ hospital.

Dr Muhammad Aslam also briefed about the efforts being made with the cooperation of BOG members and philanthropists for providing free meal to the patients and their attendants.

Later, the gusts inaugurated the new departments at the hospital.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2017