ISLAMABAD: Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal on Wednesday visited the site of the King Salman Hospital project in Islamabad, where he was briefed on the progress and key developments of the long-awaited initiative.

Speaking to the media, the minister announced that the construction of the King Salman Hospital, which had remained pending for the past nine years, is now set to commence. He noted that the project was originally initiated in 2017, and all outstanding hurdles have now been resolved.

Mustafa Kamal highlighted that the hospital was being established through a generous grant from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He further stated that the construction will be carried out through an international competitive bidding process to ensure transparency and quality standards.

Sharing project details, he informed that, in its initial phase, a 200-bed hospital will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 7 billion. He added that the facility will later be expanded to a 600-bed hospital to cater to growing healthcare needs. The hospital will include eight major medical specialties, providing comprehensive healthcare services.

Mustafa Kamal emphasised that the residents of Tarlai and surrounding areas will significantly benefit from improved access to quality healthcare services. He reiterated that the government was taking practical steps to strengthen the health sector across the country. Highlighting recent achievements, he stated that 380 beds have been added to different hospitals in Islamabad over the past year.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2026