LAHORE, Feb 9: Post Graduate Medical Institute Principal Prof Dr Tariq Salahudin has said a US-based non-government organisation will donate $1 million to the institute for doctors’ training and research.

Addressing a press conference at Lahore General Hospital in connection with the second annual science symposium, he said the institute would start a PhD programme within two months.

Dr Salahudin said the Punjab government would allocate 125 kanal land for PGMI research labs and hostels. “The LGH will soon start treatment of cancer patients,” Dr Salahudin said and added that the institute would establish more intensive care units at neuro, medical and surgery departments of the hospital. He said the Planning and Development Department had approved Rs2.7 billion for the Punjab Institute of Neuro Sciences (PINS).

He said the PINS would be the first ever institute of the region for the treatment of trauma and all kinds of neuro diseases with a capacity of 500 beds. He said a 300-bed state-of-the-art neuro centre was being run in Delhi.

Prof Salahudin informed the media that efforts were being made to separate the PGMI from the University of Health Sciences and make it an independent medical institute. He said medical classes would start soon at the undergraduate Amir-u-Din Medical and Dental College of the PGMI. He said the PGMI had a faculty of 23 professors.

Talking about the symposium, Dr Salahudin said 14 workshops had been conducted and 48 lectures delivered so far. He said 22 research papers were presented at the second-day of symposium.