KP to set up 500 bedded emergency hospital to cater to needs of increasing patients

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government with the cooperation of federal government has decided to establish a 500 bedded emergency hospital in Peshawar.

The decision has been taken to cater to the needs of increasing number of coronavirus patients in the province, said Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mahmood Khan.

In a press statement issued here on Friday, Chief Minister said the new hospital will also help in reducing load on other hospitals of the province which have become overburdened due to increase in patients of COVID-19.

The Chief Minister has given approval to summary for establishment of new hospital, adds the press statement.

The 500 bedded hospital will be set up over an area of 79 kanal, land for which will be provided by KP government.

The Health department already has the required land for construction of hospital at Duran Pure area of Peshawar.

The Federal government will extend support in construction of building through National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Medical equipment and machinery will be purchased by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister expressed the hope that construction of hospital will help in meeting any kind of emergency in future due to coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister has directed the concerned authorities to finalize all the pre-requisites and arrangements for the formal ground breaking of Rashakai Economic Zone and to set timeline for the timely completion of all the pre-requisite so that practical work on the mega project could be started without any delay.

He has further directed the relevant quarters to take all the required steps to finalize the development agreements of the project as well.

He was chairing a meeting held here on Friday to review progress on Rashakai and Hattar Economic Zones projects. Besides provincial Minister Akbar Ayub and Special Assistant to CM on Industries, Abdul Karim Khan, Principal Secretary to CM, Shahab Ali Shah, Secretary Planning & Development, Secretary Industries, Chief Executive Officers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management Company and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade; and other relevant high up attended the meeting.

The meeting was given detailed briefing about the progress made so far on both the economic zones as well as about the impediments hindering the progress in some particular areas.

Mahmood Khan directed the relevant high ups to identify all the issues of the project related to the federal organizations and to prepare home work so that the same could be taken up with the federal government for timely solution.

He also directed the quarter concerned to settle the issue of alternate land acquisition for Hattar Economic Zone project as well and expedite work on the proposed Mohmand and Buner Economic Zones projects.

Addressing the participants of the meeting Mahmood Khan termed the Rashakai Economic Zone Project as a development initiative of national importance and said that it was one of the top priorities of both the federal and provincial governments to translate the project into reality.

He further said that on completion of project would attract maximum foreign investment, boost economic activities, create job opportunities and usher in a new era of development and prosperity in the province.