BAHAWALPUR: The Punjab government released Rs643m funds for the revamp of the Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH) and issued orders for reopening of its several outpatient departments (OPDs).

It may be recalled that during the caretaker Punjab government, the wards and departments of the hospital were shut down in September 2023. The patients were asked to go to other government like the Nawab Sadiq Hospital, Jhangiwali Road, where all specialists and doctors of the BVH were also shifted.

However, most of the patients avoided going there and fell prey to the private hospitals.

During a visit to the hospital in February, the caretaker chief minister Mohsin Naqvi opened the OPD although its revamp was still incomplete, with the result that the OPD remained inoperative.

The incumbent government issued orders to reopen the OPD and released all the required funds.

Talking to Dawn, BVH Medical Superintendent Dr Aamir Bokhari said all the seven departments, including surgery, medicine and eye, had been reopened, which attracted about 3,000 patients on the first day (Tuesday).

He said online registration of patients and issuance of medicines had been introduced in the new OPD while the released amount of Rs643m would now be utilised to for speedy completion of renovation work.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2024