Khawaja Jalaluddin Rumi, the Nishtar Medical Institute board of management chairman, on Friday urged the government to build more hospitals in south Punjab.
Addressing a press briefing at the hospital’s committee room, Rumi said that Nishtar Hospital was the biggest facility visited by thousands of people from south Punjab every day.
Principal Dr Samee Akhtar, Medical Superintendent Javaid Umer and some senior doctors were also present. Dr Akhtar said that the 1,100-bed hospital was serving 1,500 to 1,700 patients. Rumi added that the Punjab government had agreed to expand the hospital’s capacity to 1,700 beds.
Dr Akhtar said that a laboratory with latest technology would become functional at the hospital in April. He said the machine would yield more accurate results. He said work was also afoot on the Post Graduate Medical Institute.
He said the hospital also planned to set up Nishtar Academic Complex with four lecture theatres, two conference halls and two examination halls. He said it would serve 500 students.
The elevator for the Accidents and Emergency Unit would be operational by March 20, he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 9th, 2013.