KARACHI, April 15: About 49 new projects planned in health sector have been lying with city government's planning department for a long time.

These projects were planned and designed by health department to increase the health caring facilities in Karachi and were submitted with city government's planning department quite a long time ago. However, the city government seemed reluctant to move these projects forward to provincial planning and development department for approval.

Most of these projects are to be executed in remote and backward areas of the city to broaden government's health care facilities. An official of the city government said that health department was given the task by city higher ups to identify the areas, which were in dire need of health care facilities and submit the projects in this regard.

The health department after conducting survey and visiting different areas identified the places. It designed plans and submitted the same with CDGK's planning department to get them forwarded to Sindh government for approval, he added.

He further said that CDGK's planning department had withheld all the files of projects and did not move it to Sindh government. "A number of times, planning department was approached and requested to forward the projects, but, the requests fell on deaf ears," he remarked.

The projects planned to provide health care facilities include 36-bed hospital at Gulshan-i-Hadeed, Maternal Child Health (MCH) centre cum dispensary at Usman Goth and improvement of maternity home at Kathore Ghagar Village in Bin Qasim Town.

In Gadap Town, the projects are 36-bed hospital and improvement of maternity home at Kathore Village; reconstruction of existing maternity home at Huderway Village; upgradation of Basic Health Unit in Lasi Goth into 30-bed hospital; construction of MCH hospitals cum dispensaries at Khuda Bukhsh Village, Goodearth, Gulshan-i-Aaka Khel, Sukhia Goth, Allah Bukhsh Brohi Goth and at Junjar Brohi Goth in UC-4 Gujro.

Moreover, projects in other parts of the city include improvement of maternity home at Keamari; construction of MCH centre cum dispensary at UC-7 Sher Shah in Keamari Town; improvement of maternity home at Behar Colony; improvement of maternity home at Mira Naka and improvement of primary health care at Lyari Hospital in Lyari Town.

In SITE Town, the health projects are construction of MCH centre cum dispensary at Noorani Mohala, UC-7; construction of MCH centre cum dispensary at UC-8, Muslimabad; improvement of maternity home at Manghopir Road, Old Golimar; and establishment of midwife school at Manghopir Road Maternity Home, Old Golimar.

In Baldia Town, construction of MCH centre cum dispensary at UC-2 Ittehad Town; construction of MCH centre at UC-4, Naiabadi; and construction of 36-bed general hospital in PS-91 are lying in pending.

In Orangi Town, the projects are construction of MCH centre cum dispensary at UC-1 at Zia Colony and another at UC-7 Shah Waliullah Nagar. In Malir Town, the plans to enhance health facilities include improvement of maternity home at Old Thano; improvement of maternity home at Khokhrapar; and establishment of nursing school at Sindh General Hospital, Saudabad.

Besides, improvement of maternity home at Liaquatabad; construction of central medical store for EDO health office at Ojha; requirement of computers for THOs offices and MS hospitals; requirement of equipment for 10 maternity homes; improvement of Sobhraj Maternity Hospital; improvement of Gazdarabad General Hospital; improvement of Sindh General Hospital, Ibrahim Hyderi; establishment of nursing college at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and equipment for the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital are planned. -PPI