BAHAWALPUR: The construction of a cardiology, cardiac and surgery block and kidney/dialysis unit at the Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH) remains incomplete after years.

The patients continue to suffer in the absence of the facilities as the provincial government has delayed funding.

The cardiology and cardiac surgery unit, having 120 beds and requiring Rs742.637 million, was approved in January 2009 and its construction began in May the same year. It was scheduled to be completed by 2013 but work remained suspended owing to shortage of funds.

Later, its estimates were revised with expected completion and operation in 2013. But, the building remains incomplete and the equipment is yet to be installed. The government during 2014-15 ADP approved Rs217.499 million and now it is expected that the equipment may be installed by June 2015.

The work on 120-bed kidney transplantation/dialysis unit costing Rs594.347 million was taken in hand in December 2005 but as the flow of funds remained slow, its estimates were revised after every three years. At present, the structure of the building is ready and its machinery which was imported is kept packed there.

A sum of Rs18 million was lapsed owing to non-utilisation and now efforts are on to re-validate this amount to make it functional after nine years by 2015.

BVH Medical Superintendent Dr Muhammad Irshad said the funds for kidney unit with the buildings department had lapsed and reminders were sent to the government for re-authorisation of lapsed funds to complete the scheme. He expressed the hope that after the revival of funds, the remaining work including installation of machinery would be completed soon.

As regards the completion of the cardiac block, the MS said the revised estimate of Rs552.380 million had been prepared and submitted to the chief engineer for vetting and onward submission to the health department for approval vide letter No 1722/DB of Sept 6, 2014.

Besides, he said, tenders for the purchase of remaining items with the funds available had been advertised and were opened on Oct 10.

Former chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi during his address to the public here on Nov 22 had claimed that on the initiative of former district nazim Tariq Cheema he had sanctioned the establishment of kidney/dialysis unit and the cardiac unit in addition to an institute of neurosciences at the BVH but the present government shifted the neuro institute to Lahore and blocked the approval and funds for the two medical projects.

Published in Dawn, November 27th , 2014