TAXILA: Punjab Minister for Baitul Maal and Social Welfare Yawar Abbas Bukhari on Tuesday emphasised the need for timely completion of the Mother and Child Care Hospital in Attock.

The project would be completed at a cost of Rs5 million on 75 kanals.

He said this while presiding over a committee which reviewed infrastructure development of the project. Deputy Commissioner Imran Hamid Sheikh, District Health Authority Chief Executive Dr Jawad Ellahi, officials of the health, finance and public works department and Infrastructure Development Authority of Punjab (IDAP) were also present on the occasion.

The minister directed the authorities concerned to expedite the pace of construction of the hospital.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) governmentis determined to provide quality healthcare to the mother and child, which was why it started work on establishment of the state-of-the-art mother and child hospitals, Mr Bukhari said, adding that the hospital would transform the health landscape of the district.

He said the purpose of this hospital was to improve access of marginalised communities to immediate medical and surgical services. This will strengthen preventive services like immunisation, he said, adding that the government was focusing on provision of treatment facilities in public-sector hospitals.

He further said funds would be allocated for expansion of the hospital in the current financial year.

Briefing the minister, Dr Sheikh said the hospital would ensure availability of qualified teams of physicians, technicians, nurses and administrative staff that were skilled in offering the best services to expecting mothers and facilitate them during labour and delivery.

Dr Ellahi said the hospital would have designated departments for many diseases related to children (from newborns to 14-year-olds). It includes a Gynae and Obstetrics Block, Antenatal Ward, Postnatal Ward, Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), Emergency Paediatrics and Neonatal, Neonatology as well as a Paeds Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2021