RAWALPINDI: The divisional administration has directed the Communication and Works Department to complete work on the Mother and Child Hospital by the end of December and ensure the quality of construction material.
Work on the Mother and Child Hospital started in 2005, but the building is still incomplete. The project was launched by former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed during the government of Gen Pervez Musharraf. Former prime minister Shaukat Aziz inaugurated the project in 2005.
During the two tenures of the PML-N government in Punjab, the work could not be completed. However, after the PTI government came to power in 2018, Sheikh Rashid announced that the work would be completed. But the project is still pending.
Commissioner Salman Ghani reviewed work on the under-construction hospital on Asghar Mall Road. Officials from the concerned departments, representatives of the construction firms, the Health Department and the Communication and Works Department were also present.
Completing project according to highest quality standards is Punjab govt’s top priority, says commissioner
The commissioner inspected various sections of the hospital, ongoing construction activities, the overall progress of the project and the quality of construction.
During a briefing, officials said the project had achieved 25 per cent overall progress, while construction of the hospital’s main structure had been completed. Alteration work, marble flooring, installation of windows, grills and doors, plumbing and brick masonry work were currently progressing at a rapid pace. The project is targeted for completion by December 31.
Mr Ghani stated that the hospital was a highly significant project for the region as there was currently no dedicated government children’s hospital of this nature in Rawalpindi and its surrounding areas.
Once operational, he said, the hospital would provide thousands of children with modern, high-quality healthcare services under one roof, eliminating the need for families to travel to other cities for specialised paediatric treatment.
He stated that the children’s hospital was a valuable gift from the Punjab government to the people of Rawalpindi.
Completing the project within the stipulated timeframe and according to the highest quality standards remained one of the Punjab government’s top priorities, he said.
The commissioner directed that all essential and modern facilities be ensured for the convenience of patients and their attendants.
These include separate executive washrooms for men and women, spacious parking facilities, comfortable waiting areas, clean drinking water, an efficient drainage system, high standards of sanitation, modern elevators, ramps for accessibility, emergency access routes, clear signage, wheelchair facilities, uninterrupted power backup, comprehensive fire safety arrangements and foolproof security measures.
The commissioner instructed that the installation of modern medical equipment and the completion of specialised wards, the emergency department, intensive care unit (ICU), operation theatres, laboratory, pharmacy and other medical facilities should be completed on schedule so that the hospital could provide comprehensive healthcare services immediately upon becoming operational.
Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2026
