PESHAWAR: The provincial government has approved 10 projects worth Rs10.216 billion for Khyber Medical University (KMU) in Annual Development Programme.

The approved projects included establishment of General Hospital and Research Centre and first-ever Bone Marrow Transplant Centre in the province.

In the budget for the year 2025-26, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has also allocated funds for establishment of Rehabilitation Centre for Stroke and Head Injury Patients in Barikot, Swat, first of its kind in the district to cater to the needs of people. The project will cost a total of Rs1.384 billion for which Rs100 million has been set aside in the ongoing fiscal year.

The General Hospital and Research Centre on the main campus of KMU is likely to become operational within a couple of months. It will receive Rs1.050 billion. According to officials, the hospital will offer diagnostic and treatment services to patients in addition to carrying out research on the incidence of diabetes, mental ailments and other non-communicable diseases in the province.

VC pledges to conduct research on public health issues

The university will conduct researches regarding public health issues in collaboration with UK-based medical universities, the outcome of which will be shared with policymakers to cope with those issues on scientific basis.

KMU, the only public sector admitting university for medical and dental colleges and allied sciences in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, will also receive Rs4 billion for completion of its ongoing sub-campus in Matta, Swat.

Officials told this scribe that a feasibility study for Bone Marrow Transplant Centre would get Rs300 million in the current year. The province has no such centre presently.

To upgrade Kohat Medical College, the provincial government has announced Rs2.747 billion in the annual budget of which Rs150 million will be released in the current fiscal whereas the new boys’ hostel in Kohat will get Rs20 million of the overall Rs600 million amount, allocated in the budget.

Officials said that Rs30 million was allocated in the new Annual Development Programme for establishment of a campus of KMU in Dera Ismail Khan. They said that Rs35 million was earmarked for Trainee Medical Officers (TMOs) in Basic Sciences and Rs70 million for KMU Public Health Reference Laboratory (PHRL). The laboratory has been established with the support of National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad and World Health Organisation to ensure early diagnosis of notifiable diseases and check outbreaks of ailments.

Since the establishment of the PHRL, the province has been conducting all tests that were previously sent to NIH from where results were made available belatedly.

KMU Vice-chancellor Prof Ziaul Haq, when contacted, said that those projects reflected strong commitment of the university to raising the standards of health, medical education and research across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“We express heartfelt gratitude to government and Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur for including several of the university’s development projects in the new fiscal year’s ADP,” he said.

According to him, the provincial government, particularly the chief minister has always provided guidance and unwavering support to KMU. In a significant step forward, several crucial projects aimed at improving healthcare, advancing medical education and promoting research will further improve healthcare scenario in the province.

“We are already conducting research in many areas of medical sciences in collaboration with UK universities. The government’s support will further enhance our resolve to conduct research on many public health issues,” said Prof Zia.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2025