Sindh Chief Minister approves children hospital for Sukkur

Karachi, November 11, 2019 (PPI-OT): Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, with the assistance of Korean government, has approved establishment of a 200-bedded children hospital in Sukkur at a cost of $57.274 million. He also approved reconstruction of Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH) Larkana and DHQ Sujawal for which Korean government committed to provide a $300 million soft loan.

This decision was made in a meeting held between Sindh government, led by the chief minister, and Korean Exim Bank delegation, headed by DG Exim Bank UM Sung Young. The chief minister was assisted by Minister Health Dr Azra Pechuho, Chairperson P and D Ms Naheed Shah, Secretary Finance Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Education Ahsan Mangi, Secretary Health Zahid Memon and Special Secretary Health Dr Dabir.

The Sindh government has approved a scheme for establishment of Children Health Care Institute Sukkur. The scheme was approved by CDWP and ECNEC in 2015 and then the project was halted for want of funds. The Sindh government negotiated with Korean government which has provided a soft loan of $46 million and the provincial government has allocated Rs 162.792 million. In this way, the total cost of the project would be around Rs5 billion, if it is made in Pak rupees.

The hospital would be established at an area of 27 acres along Airport Road Sukkur. There would be a Neonatal Care Unit (NCU), Emergency Blood Transfusion Unit, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Pediatric Surgeries and OT Department, Efficient Patient Transportation System, Blood Transfusion Unit, Enhancement of Pediatric Special Medical Services, Special OPD for Ophthalmology and ENT.

Pechuho told the chief minister that bidding document for hiring contractor had been completed. She said that the contractor would be hired very soon to start work that would be completed by the end of 2021. The chief minister said that the CMCH was housed in an old building; therefore, he wanted to reconstruct its building. He added that the newly created district of Sujawal also needed District Headquarter Hospital which he also wanted to construct.

He requested the Korean authorities to extend a $254 million loan so that those both hospitals could be established. The Korean delegation said that its government had already approved $300 million against which they were allocating $46 million for children hospital Sukkur and the remaining amount of $254 million could be given to CMCH Larkana and Sukkur for healthcare. The chief minister directed the health department to submit necessary papers with Korean bank so that the soft loan could be released at the earliest.

For more information, contact:
Press Secretary,
Chief Minister House, Sindh
Tel: +92-21-99202019(Ext: 336)
Website: www.cmsindh.gov.pk