RAWALPINDI: Punjab government has approved Rs360 million for Holy Family Hospital (HFH) to replace old and rusty essential equipment at Intensive Care Unit, emergency department by June 30.

A senior official of Holy Family Hospital told Dawn that there were 25 operation theatres in the hospitalbut the operation tables (beds) were old enough and it required replacement as it were procured in 1999.

He said that Rs400 million project had been sent to Divisional Development Working Party led by Commissioner Rawalpindi and the provincial government gave approval and tenders had been floated to procure the equipment.

Holy Family Hospitalis the main hospitalof Rawalpindi division and it has a total area of 672,000 square feet. The number of beds in the hospitalwards is 1,100.

An average 2,161 patients reported in OPD and 915 patients in emergency daily. Wards occupancy stood at 228.

He said that there was a dire need to procure new equipmentfor the operation theatre in the hospital.

He said that due to old equipmentin operation theatres, the patients had been given dates for six months and more.

He said that the modern operation beds equipped with equipment to monitor blood pressure, oxygen level and heart beat of patients during a procedure.

At present, there are four operation theatres in emergency department, five in General Surgery, five for allied surgery for ENT, eye, ortho and neuro; five for gynecology, three burn plastic surgery and three for peads.

A senior doctor of HFH told Dawn that there was a dire need of anesthesia machines, operation table (electrohydraulic), operation theatre lights, electrosurgical units, intensive care unit beds, cardiac monitor, defibrillator and laproscopic tower for surgery.

He said there were 22 anesthesia machines but the hospital required 14 more, similarly 14 more operation table (electrohydraulic) in addition to 22. The hospital requires 14 more operation theatre lights as currently 22 are available, it has 25 electrosurgical units but it require 12 more.

The hospital requires 50 specialised Intensive Care Unit beds, 155 cardiac monitor available and need 25 more, 45 defibrillator available but require 15 more and one Laproscopic tower for surgery available but require two more.

He said ICU beds are required in Medical ICU, Surgical ICU, due to which it is not possible to change the position of ICU Patients during feeding time, X-Ray, Physiotheray or during CPR. “ICU beds immediately required in ICUs of the hospital,” he said.

When contacted, HFH Medical Superintendent Dr Ijaz Butt told Dawn that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had approved the project to bring new equipment for the hospital.

He said that the process to procure the equipment had been started and the hospital will be upgraded by June 30.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2026