MANSEHRA, Feb 11: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority would soon build a hospital in Balakot in collaboration with an NGO. The project would cost Rs100 million.

The tehsil headquarters hospital, Balakot, was destroyed in 2005 earthquake, and since then people of Balakot and Kaghan valley had been deprived of health care facilities.

A delegation, including Provincial Minister for Irrigation Ahmad Hussain Shah, Erra officials and the NGO’s representatives, visited the proposed site of the hospital the other day.

Talking to media persons on the occasion, Mr Shah said that if the land acquisition process was completed as per schedule the construction work of the hospital would be completed by June this year. He thanked Provincial Minister for Health Zahir Shah for his interest in the project.

Speaking on the occasion, Erra official Col. Ibrar said that a Memorandum of Understanding had been signed among the Erra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and Comprehensive Disaster Response Service, an NGO, for construction of the hospital.

He said that each of the three parties would bear 33 per cent cost of the hospital project.