PESHAWAR: The project of Khyber Institute of Child Health (KICH) will face more delay as Rs1 billion pledged by federal government for it is unlikely to be released during the new fiscal year, according to relevant sources.

They said that given the track record of release of federal funds, it was unlikely that the project would see light of the day anytime soon.

They added that federal government had approved Rs Rs2.209 billion under the presidential package for construction of KICH in 2010 but only Rs550 million, in two installments of Rs310 million and Rs240 million, had been released so far.

KICH, which was supposed to house the first-ever 200-bed children hospital in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is yet to be made fully operational for want of funds.

“The only health project, the PC-1 of which has been approved by the Central Development Working Party in March 2010, is facing delays since then as the Executive Committee of National Economic Council has not give it a go-ahead quickly and meagre allocation was started to it in 2012-13,” said sources.

They said that of the total sanctioned amount, Rs1100 million was for construction of KICH while the rest would be utilised to purchase of equipment for the children hospital on the same premises.

Sources said that so far Rs550 million had been released by the federal government and the province desperately required the remaining Rs1709 million to complete the much-delayed project in the province.

The provincial government had decided in March 2003 to establish KICH and then the children hospital. KICH is presently being run in a building given by an NGO and awaits its purpose-built building to start full-fledged operations.

“The centre allocates the amount at a snail’s pace owing to which we are not only facing delays in the project but the cost of construction material and other stuff such as equipment is going up with every passing day,” said officials.

They said that federal government released the sanctioned amount in three quarters, including 25pc in first and second and 50pc in last two quarters of the years, which caused delays.

Sources said that it was unlikely that KICH would get completed in the current fiscal year because there was no surety that federal government would made the funds available. After completion of the building, the provincial government would need Rs900 million for purchase of equipment for the affiliated children hospital, which was likely to take one more year.

“Indications are that the project will take at least two more years to start operations,” they said.

The provincial government has also allotted a 20-kanal plot for construction of the children hospital adjacent to the building donated by NGO to have specialised facilities for the patients and training of doctors, nurses and paramedics.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the only province where a children hospital does not exist. The province has only 1,000 beds for children compared to 16,000 beds for adult patients.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2017