PESHAWAR, April 27: NWFP Minister for Health Inayatullah has said the Saidu Group of Teaching Hospitals in Swat is being upgraded. He said the Rs600 million project included construction of new blocks with 500 beds, work on which would start in the next financial year.

He was inaugurating a newly-built children’s ward at the hospital. The project had cost Rs40 million.

Minister for Information Technology Hussain Ahmad Kanju, District Nazim Jamal Nasar Khan, MNA Fazle Subhan, MPAs Mohammad Amin, Nazamuddin and Malik Amir Zada, Swat DCO Shahab Ali Shah and doctors and paramedics of the hospital were also present.

Mr Inayatullah said the hospital would be upgraded in collaboration with the Women’s Health Project to equip it with advanced facilities at a cost of Rs20 million, which had already been approved. He added that Rs10.6 million had been provided for medicines, X-Ray films and chemicals for emergency.

He said the NWFP government was making efforts to provide basic health facilities to people in remote areas of the province.

He said about 1,500 hospitals and health units had been upgraded and establishment of more health units was under consideration.