GUJRAT: The sports activities at Gujrat sports gymnasium have been resumed after the local health authorities closed the Covid vaccination centre set up at the facility.

The sports activities at the gymnasium located in front of the Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Teaching Hospital (ABSTH) on Bhimbher road, had been suspended in the first wave of Covid-19 pandemic almost two years ago and the district administration had turned it into a field hospital for the coronavirus positive patients initially.

However, in April last year the gymnasium building was converted into a vaccination centre.

An official of the local administration said that though the major operation of the vaccination centre at the gymnasium had been halted, a small portion of the building was still in the possession of health department.

However, he said, after decline in Covid-19 cases, a majority of the local population was being administered vaccine in Gujrat and gymnasium was handed over to the sports department to resume the sports activities there.

The local players who would play indoor games at the facility had long been demanding the authorities to allow resumption of such sports activities there.

Official sources said the sports department had declined to pay the gymnasium’s outstanding electricity bills worth Rs1.4 million since for lack of funds, after which the matter was taken up with the deputy commissioner.

It is learnt that the management of the ABSTH has been asked by the district administration to pay the outstanding electricity bills since the field hospital and mass vaccination centre were being run by the health department at the gymnasium.

Soon after the revival of the gymnasium, some educational institutions organised their sports festivals at the facility, whereas in the evening it would be open for the local players.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2022