By Adnan Rafique
ISLAMABAD: Cognizant of the basic health needs of the rural population, the District Health Department is working on a comprehensive plan of extending all-possible services to the ailing humanity under which 14 new Community Health Centers (CHCs) and Basic Health Units (BHUs) would be made operational during the next year.
“Around 11 new CHCs and three BHUs, having 515 indoor-bed capacity, are in the final phase of their construction that will be functional during the next year,” Project Director of Health Department Islamabad Sardar Shabbir Ahmed told APP on Tuesday.
Sharing details, he said the new initiatives having indoor facilities included 200-bed King Salman bin Abdulaziz Hospital at Tarlai, 30-bed CHC at Bari Imam, 40-bed CHC at G-13, 25-bed Mother & Neonatal Child Health Centre at I-14 (Badhana Kalan), 20-bed Mother & Child Health Centre at Gohra Shahan, 60-bed Mother & Neonatal Child Health Centre at Bhara Kahu, 40-bed CHC at Bokra (Proposed to be built in I-12 sector), while four BHUs at Tarno, Kirpa, Shah Allah Ditta and Rawat were being upgraded to CHCs with 25-bed capacity each.
14 new primary healthcare facilities being established in capital: Official
Besides, the construction of three new BHUs, with outpatient department (OPD) facility only, are being constructed at Jhangi Syedan, Sara-e-Kharbooza and Golra Sharif.
The project director said the existing BHU at Sohan had been reconstructed with added facilities for mother and child, adding the department also established eight “Well Baby Clinics” at its existing BHUs to facilitate the mother and child.
Sardar Shabbir said the department had also moved a summary for the creation of 359 additional posts of various cadres of healthcare professionals. “The summary is in the last stages of approval. With the joining of these professionals, the department will be able to operate all these facilities round the clock,” he remarked.
Answering a question, he said, currently, the overall all-bed capacity of the existing three Rural Health Centers (RHCs) was 60 only, adding that with the establishment of new health facilities, the indoor bed capacity would reach 575, and patients would be able to get treatment round-the-clock.
