MUZAFFARABAD, Jan 21: The AJK capital's only dental hospital which had been damaged by the Oct 8, 2005 earthquake would be rebuilt at a new location as a part of the Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project (EEAP) at a cost of Rs162.245 million, an official told Dawn here on Sunday.

The Jinnah Dental Hospital (JDH) would also have an additional establishment as part of the proposed project – a dental school -- at its new location which has been identified along the capital's lone major healthcare centre, the Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences, said Khawaja Saifuddin, Executive Director of the JDH.

The school, to be affiliated with AJK Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, would hold FSc classes in dental hygiene with an aim to be eventually developed into a fully-fledged dental college, he added.

The JDH is currently working at its original site in Central Plate, some 300 yards from the historic Neelum Fort, but most of the services it was offering before the quake are non-existent now.

The hospital suffered less damage in the earthquake but more at the hands of unscrupulous elements who stole its precious equipment and furniture in the aftermath of the earthquake.

Dr Saifuddin said the proposed project, which would be built in 36 months, included a school building, a hostel building and staff residences spreading over 60,000 square feet area.

He said the dental health care had been the most neglected area in the AJK as dental health cover was available to only four per cent of the population living in urban areas whereas 87 per cent of rural population enjoyed no such facility.

"The dental school will help develop human resources in dental health who will be employed in dental healthcare centres proposed under the ‘national oral health plan,’ ” he said.