DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Aug 29: A satellite hospital would be established in Dera Ismail Khan under a Women Health Project, costing Rs20 million, a WHP representative told a workshop here.

Dr Khurshid said the Women Health Project was functioning in six districts of the province to facilitate basic health care for women in the rural and under-privileged communities.

The project was introduced on June 23, 2000, with a total cost of Rs684.492 million, including the ADB share of Rs548 million.

He was speaking at a sensitization workshop on women health organized by the Women Health Project, NWFP, in collaboration with Save the Children — an international NGO — held here on Thursday.

It was presided over by District Nazim Latifullah Khan and DG Health, NWFP, Brig Dr Habibur Rehman.

Local doctors, women health workers and representatives of social and welfare organizations attended the workshop.

Dr Tahir Nadeem, Deputy Health Officer Dera Isamil Khan, said that Rs16.444 million were allocated for the construction of two operation theatres, two women wards of 20 bed each, two children wards of 20 bed each and a nursing hostel at the District Headquarters Teaching Hospital.

He said that Rs69 million had been allocated for the repair of operation theatre at the Zanana Hospital and Rs20.9 million approved for the construction of a 10-bed ward at the Civil Hospital in Daraban. For other requirements of the three hospitals, he added, a total of Rs20.45 million were set aside.

District Nazim, Latifullah Khan, assured the health authorities of his cooperation, saying that he was already in touch with all the health affairs.

DG Health Dr Habibur Rehman said that community awareness of women health was sorely needed as the women were the most neglected section of society.

He said that due to poor delivery management either by families or by health staff, maternal mortality rate was 300 to 500 per 100,000, infant mortality was 89 per 1,000 and neo-natal mortality rate was 48.9 per 1,000. He remarked that about 82 per cent of delivery cases were tackled at home where no necessary medications were available.

He said the government was providing facilities to various hospitals according to their category and capacity. All the DHQ hospitals were being strengthened and equipped.