KARACHI, May 28: The Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) is likely to undertake the renovation and upgradation of its casualty department during the next financial year. The project will be a two-phase one, costing Rs8 million in all.

The medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr (Capt) Mirza Raza Ali, told Dawn on Friday that in view of the poor law-and-order situation, the authorities wanted to see the existing emergency facilities in the hospitals improved.

"Under the first phase of the project, the existing emergency ward will be improved at a cost of Rs20 million. In this phase, 40 beds will be added to the 40 that are already there," he said.

New equipment will also be provided. "We will change the old equipment which have become obsolete. Old beds will be replaced and new beds and ventilators will be bought too."

In the second phase of the project, for which a separate piece of land has been earmarked, a 200-bed facility will be constructed at a cost of Rs60 million. "The new building will be a multi-storey one. "After this phase is complete, the CHK will be at par with the better hospitals of the city, so far as the emergency facilities are concerned."