MULTAN, Aug 4: The 150-bed Children Hospital Complex project for which a sum of Rs540 million has already been approved by the provincial government, is in doldrums due to illegal occupation of its land.

Medical Superintendent Dr Nazar Abbas Gardezi told APP that the complex’s new building was to be built on the land of old civil hospital’s 100-year-old residential quarters which had been declared dangerous by experts.

He said notices were served on the illegal occupants some two years back but these had not been vacated as yet. To a question, he said no court’s stay orders were there to pose a hurdle in the completion of the project.

The MS alleged that Building department officials and contractors were using delaying tactics which were hindering this vital project.

Dr Abbas said the complex’s Out-Patient Department had started working in the old civil hospital building in the year 2000.

He said the government had released Rs90 million for the renovation of the old building and purchase of hospital machinery.

Dr Gardezi said the patient registration at the hospital was multiplying with each passing year. Quoting the figures, he said in the first year 11,000 kids were brought to the hospital but this figure jumped to 37,000 in 2004 and in 2005 till June 30, as many as 26,000 patients were registered at the hospital.

He said in 2004 some 700 children were operated upon but in the first six months of the current year 1,200 operations were conducted at the hospital.

He said the hospital not only catered to the needs of people in 13 districts comprising South Punjab, but also to those of the adjacent areas of Balochistan, NWFP and Sindh.

Dr Gardezi suggested that the Chenab Club, which was adjacent to the complex, lying idle these days, could be used for residential purposes.

He said out of a total hospital staff of 447, only 207 employees, including about 70 doctors and 100 nurses, had been recruited so far.

He said the multiplying number of patients every year indicated that a children hospital with state-of-the-art equipment was the direst need of this region. He urged the authorities concerned to remove all hurdles in the early completion of the project. — APP