Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Saturday laid the foundation stone of Rs 2.5 billion Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Accident, Emergency and Trauma Center at a ceremony held at Sindh Chief Minister House here. The Prime Minister also approved another Rs 1.5 billion project to build a multi-storey building to establish a modern out patient department (OPD) and ambulance center at Civil Hospital, Karachi.
Addressing the ceremony, the Prime Minister said that the project will be financed equally by the federal and Sindh government and will be completed in two years at the CHK. He said that its was the top priority of the government to provide basic health facilities to people at their doorsteps. He said that it was the desire of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto that such kind of centers should be established all over the country to provide immediate treatment to the victims natural disasters and terrorists attacks.
He pointed out that the said project will be the single largest hospital project to be undertaken for last 20 years and it would benefit a vast majority of people with modern health facilities. He said that there is need to demonstrate the same spirit for dealing with all kinds of disasters as the people of the country had shown courage to deal with the devastating October 2005 earthquake.
It is the policy of the government to provide emergency services of health sector to people on priority basis. He assured that the federal government will provide full support to the provincial governments in this regard.
He said that the Benazir Income Support Programme was launched to support the poor segment of the society and to reduce poverty in the country. He said provision of job opportunities to all the people of Pakistan is also one of the priorities of the government.
He pointed out that the National Disaster Management Authority is being extended to the provincial and district levels. He also highlighted the importance of the private organisations and appreciated Edhi Trust Foundation and other allied institutions for their services for the victims of any eventuality.
He said that Karachi is the most populous city and the government is fully aware of the problems being faced by the people of this mega city. Federal Health Minister Ejaz Khan Jakhrani, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed speaking on the occasion highlighted the significance of the project. They said that the present government is trying to provide basic health facilities to people of the country at their doorsteps.
They said that the new project will provide health facilities to the people of Sindh in emergency situations. Earlier, the Prime Minister chaired a meeting about setting up of this center. The Prime Minister was informed that PC-1 of this center had already been approved. The center will comprise more than 500 beds. It will be a 14-storied building equipped with co-generation energy system, a helipad and a parking lot for 400 vehicles. Dr Saeed Qureshi briefed the meeting about the salient features of the center.